By M. Peter – Jos
The Industrial Training Fund, ITF, is set to immediately implement the directive of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to harmonise technical and vocational skills training in the Nigerian economy as enshrined in the ITF Act.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had during last week’s virtual meeting with critical stakeholders and partners in skills acquisition chaired by the Vice President, directed the Industrial Training Fund, ITF to harmonise all skills development initiatives by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across the country in order to achieve greater success in Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET.
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The meeting was to consider a report on the success and progress of the ITF-NECA Technical Skills Development Project, TSDP and Professor Osinbajo commended the initiative between the Industrial Training Fund, ITF and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA and lauded the determination of the two organisations to escalate skills development in the economy.
The Director-General of the Fund, Sir. Joseph Ari who responded to the directive noted that with the zeal being displayed in tackling unemployment and underemployment, promoting technical and vocational skills would place the country on the path of economic growth and development.
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ITF’s Head, Public Affairs, Suleyol Chagu in a statement issued in Jos at the weekend stated that Sir Ari maintained that with greater support from government and other stakeholders, the high cost of technical and vocational education and training and wrong perception of such education would be surmounted.
She stressed, “The Director-General of the ITF, Sir Joseph Ari pledged to immediately swing into action in order to implement the directive of the Vice President to harmonise technical and vocational skills training in the Nigerian economy as enshrined in the ITF Act. He also commended the commitment of Government to tackling the challenges of unemployment and underemployment.
“The DG noted that with the zeal with which the Government was pursuing its job and wealth creation agenda, it would surely place the country on a sound path of economic growth and development adding, that with greater support from government, the current challenges of limited funds, high costs of TVET training and wrong perception of TVET education could be surmounted.”
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The ITF-NECA TSDP is a skills acquisition programme that started with just six trade areas at its inception but now boasts of over 40 trade areas with over 8,000 youths trained annually for the industries.
The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, and representative of Honourable Minister of Education.
