Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state has urged the management of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe to intensify the teaching of entrepreneurship skills to students.
He said this will inculcate the spirit of self-reliance and wealth creation among the youth.
Governor Yahaya made the call in his remarks and goodwill message at the combined convocation ceremony and award of fellowship of the college in Gombe weekend.
The governor congratulated the graduating students and expressed his administration’s readiness to support any initiative that would help train, empower and integrate the youth.
Governor Yahaya also commended the college’s management under the leadership of Dr. Ali Boderi for working assiduously to bring rapid growth and development to the college.
Also speaking, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said the federal government has released N6 billion to enhance teaching, periodic curriculum review and development in six colleges of education across the country.
Adamu said the funds were provided to the schools through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
He said that TETFUND recently inaugurated the establishment of Centres of Excellence in six colleges of education in each of the geopolitical zones, to promote specialisation in pedagogy, curriculum review and development.
The minister, represented by Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, executive secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), said each of the institutions received N1 billion as take off grant for the project.
He said the gesture would be sustained in the next five years by TETFUND.
Adamu said the administration of President Buhari had initiated reform policies aimed at repositioning the education sector and improving Nigeria’s human capital index.
Earlier, Alhaji Sahabi Gada, chairman, Governing Council of the institution
, commended the federal government for the timely intervention in awarding erosion control project under the Ecological Fund, to address erosion problem in the college.
Gada advised graduating students to effectively utilise the technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills to become self-reliant and employers of labour, adding that, “entrepreneurship is the answer to unemployment challenges.”
Also speaking, provost of the college, Dr Ali Adamu, said the institution which started with 100 students in 1990 had produced over 20,000 National Certificate in Education (NCE) holders.
