Ekiti, Edo, Kano three other states to benefit from World Bank $200m Technical Education Fund

Six states in Nigeria; Ekiti, Edo, Abia, Kano, Gombe and Benue States have been selected from each of the six geo-political zones in Nigeria to benefit from the $200 million World Bank collaboration with the Federal Government

The project is expected to rapidly develop skill capacities in the technical and vocational education sector in Nigeria in the next 5 years.

The Task Team Leader (TTL) of the World Bank Assisted Project (Education), Dr. Tunde Adekola gave this information during an interactive forum with officials of Ekiti State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Ado Ekiti.

Dr. Adekola, who said the new project, under the name, Innovative and Development Effectiveness for Aquisition of Skills (IDEAS) would soon commence, stating that the project was not only designed to develop the Nigeria youths in capacity building and self-reliance, it would equally encourage and enhance public private participation in skill acquisition in youth development.

The TTL further disclosed that 18 Technical Colleges, three from each of the six geo-political zones of the country have been selected by the Buhari-led Federal Government as pilot States for the project.

Meanwhile, three Technical Colleges to benefit in Ekiti State will be determined by the State government at the appropriate time. Each of them shall be picked from each of the senatorial district of the State.

The Task Team Leader, who enumerated courses to be offered however reiterated full accreditation of the courses by the National Board for Technical and Vocational Education (NABTEB) as major condition to be satisfied by the selected Colleges.

He stated that the World Bank’s decision to prioritise Training of Teachers of Technical Colleges in Nigeria informed the Bank’s decision to commence the project. This, according to him, will ensure provision of employment opportunities for the youth which would accelerate the technical and vocational development in the nation.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi, who appreciated both the World Bank and the Federal Government for favouring Ekiti State in the selection, believed that if youths were adequately catered for and properly engaged, the social vices that are unnecessarily rampant in the country will drastically reduce, and wealth, that would further better the lives of these youth, would have been created.

Mr. Ajayi assured the visitor and his team that Ekiti State would cooperate with the World Bank, not only to achieve the set target but to also ensure that the programme is successful