………Calls for rehabilitation of Technical Colleges in lmo State and re-introduction of Intro Tech as a subject.
Citizens lwuoha, Owerri
In a bid to bridge the gap between education and employment, creating job opportunities, as well as promoting self reliance, the Imo State House Of Assembly has urged the Imo State Government to rehabilitate and equip technical colleges in the state.
Moving the Motion during Plenary on Wednesday 12,March 2025, the member representing Mbaitoli State Constituency, Hon Engr Innocent Ikechukwu Ikpamezie explained that over 50% of Secondary School graduates no longer further their education, perhaps, due to lack of interest, lack of funds and challenging demands of the society etc, which have given rise to insecurity and crime.
According to the Mbaitoli lawmaker, there are many existing Technical Colleges in the state, but they suffer from poor infrastructure, lack of modern tools, inadequate qualified instructors and low students enrollment, due to years of neglect.
He opined that youths want short route to success without paying attention to the empowerment and self-reliance which the attendance of a Technical college assures.
“when you attend Technical College, you don’t need to wait for government job. Rather, you automatically become self employed.”
“Our youths want the short cut, forgetting that the best shortcut is technical education.”
“Even if you don’t want to go to university, by attending technical college, you will be creating jobs for other people, as it plays crucial role in national development by producing skilled manpower in areas such as motor-vehicle mechanics, carpentry, refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics repairs, fabrication and welding, electrical installation, mechanical works, building and concreting, etc”.he said
The Lawmaker who is the House Committee Chairman on Environment commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for embracing development in the state, stating that it is the duty of lawmakers to assist the Governor to speed up development and progress of the State through impactful motions, bills and other legislative activities.
Hon lkpamezie went further to appeal to the governor to rehabilitate and upgrade all Technical Colleges in Imo State, provide them with modern equipment, functional workshops and well-trained Instructors,introduce hostel facilities in existing technical colleges to encourage students from all parts of the State to enroll.
“A dedicated training facility for technical teachers will increase qualified instructors, provision of hostel facilities in technical colleges will improve access to technical education for students from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, provision of modern equipment and tool to upgrade the said schools and introducing a scholarship scheme will encourage enrollment to the technical colleges”.
“The rehabilitation and equipping of Ahiara Technical College, Government Technical College, Osu Technical College and Okporo Technical College, will bridge the gap between education and employment, creating job opportunities and promote self-reliance”.he submitted
Investigator news reports that the motion,was seconded by the member representing Nkwerre State Constituency, Hon Barrister Chisom Ojukwu, and was co-sponsored by nine lawmakers
In their respective submissions, they commended Hon lkpamezie for coming out with what they termed “solution and cure to all the social ailments confronting the society”,noting that most youths have been brainwashed into the easy ways of making money, hence some of them look down on technical and skill acquisitions, which is the missing link to solve the issue of insecurity.
The lawmakers therefore called for the rehabilitation and equipping of existing technical colleges, so as to serve as youth training grounds for tomorrow’s challenges, and also be an added assistance to Governor Hope Uzodimma’s Skill-up programme in the state.
Investigator news gathered that the lawmakers also called for the reintroduction of the subject INTRO-TECH (Introduction To Technology) that in schools and equally suggested that private investors should be encouraged, as government, alone, cannot do everything for the state.
