Three Technical Colleges in Ekiti State have benefitted from the World Bank assisted IDEAS project to the tune of over $250,000 (over N105 million) each to enhance the capacity of the Nigerian skills development system to produce relevant skills for the formal and informal sectors.

Presenting the cheques to the benefitting colleges at an elaborate ceremony in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, Governor Kayode Fayemi, who, noted that the success of the project depends largely on the perception of all Ekiti people, especially the three host communities, implored everyone to embrace it and partake in the activities so that many people can benefit from the intervention.

The benefitting colleges were Government Technical Colleges, Otun; Government Technical College, Ijero and Government technical College, Igbara-Odo.

Fayemi assured the people that his administration is more committed to providing enabling environment for developmental projects in the state, hence charged all partakers to adhere strictly to all the Bank’s guidelines in the course of project implementation.

While reassuring the people of the state that he would live the state better than he met it in 2018, Fayemi said he was glad that enrolment in all the six Technical Colleges in the state, which was barely 700 in 2018 is currently put at about 2,500, adding that this was achieved through constant sensitization and all round improvement in the colleges.

He also noted that the state would continue to promote sustainable development through the use of “our brilliant hands to keep pace with the dynamic technological trend in the world by helping to reduce the saturated labour market and escalated poverty rate of citizens.”

Ekiti was one of the six states in Nigeria and the only state in the South-West that is participating in the project.

“IDEAS is a World Bank assisted project that is designed to fill skill gaps at both the public and private sectors. Ekiti State is one of the six benefitting states. The facilities at the Government Technical Colleges at Igbara Odo, Ijero and Otun will be upgraded and modernised. In addition, all the teachers and instructors will be adequately trained, so also in the private sector, skills of Master Craft Persons and their apprentices will be enhanced.

“Many will recall that we launched the concept of Life Academics during my first term in office. We started the revamping of the Technical Colleges with the total reconstruction and equipping of the Government Technical College, Ado-Ekiti.

“In a bid to improve the state technical colleges, Ekiti State Government recruited 70 teaching staff and 55 non-teaching staff to improve productivity. Perimeter fencing of the colleges is ongoing. Attention must be drawn to the fact that the state has experienced over 300% increase in students’ enrolment into our technical colleges; from 700 in 2018 to 2505 in 2022. This was made possible through constant sensitization and motivational programmes of the government,” the governor said.

The Star