By Ngozi Nwankwo
Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund,TETFund, has disclosed that it would establish over twenty-four skills and innovation centers across the country to assist Nigerians gain their potentials and boost productivity.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, when he paid a visit to Innov8 Hub, along critical stakeholders including the executive secretary of TETfund, Arch. Sonny Echono.
Innov8 is a focal point for Innovation Start-up Incubation, Technology Transfer, Knowledge & Skill Impartation, Prototype Development and Fabrication.
It would be recalled that TETFund
is currently partnering with Innov8 Hub for practical training and mentorship for Nigerian youths and academics with a view to producing employable graduates and boosting research.
Speaking during the visit, Mammam said the plan to provide 24 skills centers across the country is to equal opportunities to all Nigerian childrens wherever they are.
He also commended TETfund and the Innov 8 hub for supplying the learners and the researchers from Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities the platform to undertake very practical impactful research.
“Now, what I see here is enough to provide the knowledge incubation to take Nigeria to the highest level.
“What I have seeing here is a place that give hope to the young ones who have the ideas, who have a disposition to acquire basic skills that they need to move on and have a decent lively hood.
“What I have seeing here is a major source of inspiration and we are going to work with the sector as they are already doing with TETFund.
“We want to be grateful to TETfund for this relationship. This place is owned by a private person but working closely with one of the government agencies in the education sector that is supplying the learners and the researchers from Colleges of education, Polytechnics and universities to come here and undertake very practical impactful researchers,” the Minister said.
He, however, lamented that what was missing is the off takers, saying that the off takers are not doing their part.
Mammam therefore, promised that this time around the government will ensure to bridge the gap between researchers and the industries.
“I’m going to be the chief advocate in this regard. I’m going to bring in some of the big entrepreneurs to come and see this place and also ensure that some of our people in relevant ministry positions come here and see what this place is doing and the potential it provide to this country.
“We will also train our students and give them skills. We are going to work together to generate a lot of young Nigerians who are out there from IDPs and everywhere to give them the necessary trainings.”