Our Reporter

There is the need for youths to embrace vocational education to be useful to the society, Rotary Club of Onigbongbo President, James Ajayi, has said.

He spoke during a lecture on vocational services and economic development by the club in Ikeja, the Lagos State capital.

Its theme was: Impact of vocational training on economic empowerment.

Ajayi said many youths were not ready to learn  trades, which he said had been taken over by foreign artisans.

“It is an area we seem to have overlooked. Nigerian now depends more on artisans from outside to do al the jobs we were supposed to do,” he said.

Past District 9110 Governor (PDG) Dr Adewale Ogunbadejo, recalled that he built a N48million vocational centre at Ikorodu, Lagos, during his tenure to cater for the needs of youths.

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He blamed the government for abandoning the 6-3-3-4 system of education, noting that vocational education was planned to be part of it. He also blamed parents for the problem, saying they preferred to send their children to the universities.

Ogunbadejo, who chaired the occasion, said unless the artisans were well-trained, they would not be able to give quality service.

“We must support the vocational centres and encourage our youths to embrace them for the economic development of the country,” he added.

Director, Modern Appreticeship Programme, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Oluremi Awoyera, said technical education is the way to go in economic development.

He also said government set up the centre to tackle the high rate of unemployment among youths and the attendant restiveness.

Awoyera, who was the guest speaker, vocational training enables to be self-suffient. He said the Board trains youths to enable them survive in life and that it was better to train someone to know how to fish.

He said though vocational training is expensive, the government make it as a policy to tackle unemployment.

He urged Rotary to partner his organisation to better serve the people.

At the event were the Deputy Rector (Administration), Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr Titilayo Ukabam, who represented the Rector and Mr. Folarin Olumide, an engineer.