From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Wemi Jones, has advised students at all levels of education on the need to seek for vocational skills alongside their conventional academic pursuits.
The Commissioner affirmed that acquisition of vocational training in addition to their academic career would give them more opportunity to survive better under the present competitive economy and alarming unemployment in Nigeria.
The Commissioner said that students could make judicious use of short breaks available to them while schooling to learn vocations that would open multiple paths of successes to them.
Hon. Jones gave the advice when he received Junior Engineers, Technologists and Scientists, JETS Club from Army Day Secondary School, Lokoja who were in the Ministry to showcase products made by their members.
The students presented a portrait of the Hon. Commissioner drawn by Abdullahi Zaid Mohammed and Ayo Alaba ; and displayed the petroleum jelly, liquid soap, polish, perfume and bread buns they had made from cassava.
While congratulating and commending the students for the wholesome development, the Commissioner encouraged them to keep doing more to become better in their vocations.
He said Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration encourages total education, especially one tilted towards vocation acquisition and all round development of students; promising that the Ministry would support the students to become better.
He charged other students in the state to learn from the example of the JETS Club and develop their talents into skills that would make way for them and take them higher.
Earlier, the Coordinator of JETS club, Mrs. Amina Faith Ajayi said they were in the Ministry to solicit for help in packaging their products to make them more presentable.
She also asked for assistance in procuring a mixer to make the production of bread buns easier; saying the club could achieve much more with the machine.
Mrs Ajayi said some parents who had learned skills from the students were already making meaningful income from their businesses, while the Club is further exploring some new areas
One of the JETS Club members, Victoria Abuh explained that she gained tremendous knowledge on various uses of cassava through the activities of the club and has been able to contribute to the family income in her own little way.