…’secondary students to acquire one-year technical education’
ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government said it is investing in what it called ‘blue education’ to align with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education development model.
Governor Douye Diri stated this on Thursday during a courtesy call on him by the Chairman and members of the Presidential Visitation Panel to the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, in Government House, Yenagoa.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, pointed out that effective implementation of the STEM model would help to tackle the peculiar needs of the state, especially in terms of job and wealth creation.
A statement by the media aide to the Deputy Governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, quoted Diri as saying that the government intends to drive a greater part of the new system through technical colleges.
To this end, the Governor said more science and technical colleges were being established across all the local government areas, including those in Okaka and Swali in the Yenagoa metropolis.
According to him, the government is fine-tuning some aspects of the programme, adding that when fully operational, all secondary students would acquire a one-year compulsory technical education before their graduation.
While thanking the Presidential Visitation Panel for the visit, Diri indicated his administration’s readiness to partner with the Federal Government in promoting the growth and development of the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe.
Describing education as a veritable means of achieving sustainable prosperity, he also called on the Federal Government to establish more educational institutions in the state.
While responding to the request by the PVP to link the polytechnic with road, Diri pointed out that the ongoing construction work on the Yenagoa-Oporoma road is a step towards making access to Ekowe and other parts of Southern Ijaw a lot easier.
He, however, stressed the need for the Federal Government to give the people of the state a sense of belonging by embarking on roads and other critical infrastructure to improve their standard of living.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Presidential Visitation Panel to the Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Professor Yasir Quadri, said the visit which had lasted for six weeks, afforded them the opportunity to have first-hand knowledge of the progress and challenges facing the polytechnic.
Prof. Quadri identified lack of access road to the institution and under-utilization of the institution’s facilities as some of the problems besetting the school.
While expressing gratitude to the state government for its monthly financial assistance to the polytechnic, he, however, appealed for more support.
Also speaking, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, Dr. Inetimi Idah, who was represented by the school Librarian, Mr. Godwin Orumah, assured the state government of the institution’s determination in partnership on research and other aspects of development.