NAN-H-47
Enterprises
By Ariwodola Idowu
Ado Ekiti, Sept. 18, 2017 (NAN) The Ekiti Government, on Monday, said it had revitalised the School Enterprise Programme in 36 public secondary schools in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Jide Egunjobi, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, made this disclosure at a forum in Ado Ekiti.
Egunjobi said that the 36 schools involved in the project, now had functional small-scale enterprises from which students could learn to become future employers of labour.
“These enterprises can help to reduce the rate of unemployment among youths. The affected industries include: bakeries, poultry farms, feed mills, garment-making enterprise, piggery, tie and dye.
“Others are production of custard/beverages, soap making, block making, nylon packaging and production of plantain chips among others,’’ he said.
Egunjobi recalled that the Gov. Ayo Fayose administration had, in his first stint in office, introduced agriculture into the school programme.
This, he said, was part of the efforts to impart basic agriculture and entrepreneurial skills in school age children, regretting that subsequent administrations had, however, abandoned the project.
According to the commissioner, the aim of the programme is to build the capacity of youths, make them self-reliant, create jobs, reduce unemployment, generate revenue and guarantee food security.
The commissioner said that the state had already begun to reap the dividends of the programme.
He said the book making factory at the Eyemote Grammar School, Iyin Ekiti, produced a significant percentage of the exercise books used for the World Bank-sponsored State Education Programme Investment Project (SEPIP) in the state.
Egunjobi added that the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills should not be limited to the school age children or youths.
“There is also the need for workers, especially those in the public service to look for some productive ventures that will not unduly interfere with their schedules of work.
“Workers in the state should learn from the experience of the country’s economic recession, which has led to the irregular payment of salary and pensions.
“It is important that these workers adequately prepare for their eventual exit from the public service,’’ the commissioner said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Youths and Sports Development, Mr Kola Ajumobi, said that his ministry was partnering with the education ministry in its youth development programmes.
Ajumobi said that the ministry wanted to impart a spirit of hard work and diligence in youths and school age children.
“Youths and workers in the public service should complement government’s efforts in making life more meaningful.
“There is also the need for every adult to take the advantage of the available opportunities in the state to become self-reliant and boost the means of livelihood,’’ Ajumobi said. (NAN)
ARIS/COF/YEMI
Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Yemi Idris-Aduloju