Technical education critical to development – Fashola

 

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has called for the training and exposure of more Nigerian youths in technical education.

Such an exposure, Fashola said, would help to develop further the country’s economy.

The governor spoke through his Special Adviser on Eko Secondary School Education Project, Ms. Ronke Azeez, during the maiden graduation of the Samsung Engineering Academy pupils in Lagos.

No fewer than 72 technicians graduated on the occasion.

Samsung Electronics and the Lagos State Government are collaborating to promote the SEA initiative.

However, stressing the importance of technical education, the governor said there was an urgent need to fill the “yawning technical skills gap” in the country.

According to him, the provision of more technicians will greatly help in growing the economy.

He said, “More qualified technicians are critical to the country’s development, especially as she faces an urgent need to fill the supply and demand gap that has emerged in the industry.

There is also the need to equip the number of students that enter the job market each year possessing these technical skills.”

Fashola, who hailed Samsung for maintaining international standards in the academy, added that there was the need for the firm to increase the enrolment figure in the institution.

He added, “It is heart-warming to see the graduation of the first set of students from the academy. These graduates have been equipped with the excellent skills to build a better future and to play an integral part in driving the economy of the state forward.

“The partnership between Lagos Eko Secondary School Education Project and Samsung Electronics is one of quality and excellence.”

The governor, two years ago, inaugurated the initiative to promote employability of African youths into the electronics job market.

Earlier, the Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, said the company was committed to affecting its environment and providing technical skills to the people, especially youths.

Kim said, “As Samsung expands into Africa, we are striving to not only act ethically, but to positively impact the communities where our consumers live. We believe we will have the greatest impact by connecting our CSR initiatives to our history and core business.

“Skilled graduates are key to helping us reach our business goals, providing us with a workforce of technicians and exclusive service experts needed to differentiate Samsung as a quality service-oriented company.

“With the goal to grow our business on the continent, we also know that we have to sustain our level of innovation. This can only be achieved if we invest in education to facilitate thought-leadership in Africa.”

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries of the one-year training from the Government Technical College, Agidingbi, Ikeja, were tutored to repair and service modern digital electronic appliances such as LCD TVs, Smartphones, refrigerators, air conditioners and laptops.