A six week vocational training/programme, under the Lagos Empowerment Resource Initiation (LEARN), was recently organized during the summer holiday at Oriwu Model College, Ikorodu by the Education District II for students of secondary schools across Ikorodu division, where they displayed mastery in various vocational skills.
Among the skills students were trained on included, catering, fashion design, makeup, hairdressing, head tying, cobbling, barbing, soap and bead making, among others. Speaking during the programme, the Coordinator, Mrs. Theresa Ifeanyi Arinze, Director of Education, Guidance and Counselling Unit, Schools Administration Department, Education District II, said the programme was held simultaneously in the other two zones under the Education District II.
According to her, the programme was designed for the students to learn skills that would complement their academic qualifications and secure their future.
In her words, “The Lagos State Government has consciously developed the scheme during the long vacation for students to learn various skills and become entrepreneurs, with the aim of earning means of livelihood.” She said that since the inception of the programme, the students’ turn-out and readiness have been very encouraging.
Mrs. Arinze also said that many of them were very keen to learn skills, which would help them to make decent living for themselves in future. Speaking further, she stated that at the end of the training, they would be converging on the district headquarters in Maryland, Lagos to produce and exhibit what they have learnt. She stated that the long term plan of the government is to establish those students, who wish to pursue the vocational skills.
While speaking with Oriwu Sun, Alhaja Sherifat Abiodun Ogunniyi, the Principal of Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu, commended the state government for initiating and sustaining the scheme. In her words, “It has been a laudable scheme since inception and a thing of joy for me to see our students willingly learning the skills while many of them have exhibited great potentials in vocational studies. The scheme has also been able to take the students off the streets during the long vacation.”
In an interview with Oriwu Sun, Afolabi Aishat, a student of Yewa Senior Grammar School, Ikorodu, who is learning bead-making, thanked the Lagos State Government for the life-time opportunity given her. She admitted having already gained knowledge of how to do some aspects of bead-making like, Abuja connection, spiral and so on. Also extending her thanks to the State Government is another participant, Nofiat Ayomide (Catering section), a student of Elepe Senior Secondary School. She disclosed that she can now make doughnut, meat pie, egg roll and many other snacks, describing her experience as a very interesting one.
Another student of Yewa Senior Grammar School, Ikorodu, Ofokansi Chinasa, who is being trained at the tailoring section, admitted knowing how to cut and sew different kinds of dresses. She said she has also garnered good lessons in the area of cloth making. She stated further, “I have learnt how to measure too. I really enjoyed the training sessions and I would like to further my training after the programme.”
Master Adelanwa Ayomide, a student of Odogunyan Senior Community Secondary School, Ikorodu, shared his own experience thus, “I have learnt how to make slippers, sandals and belt. The instructor is well-grounded and has impacted greatly on us. After this programme, I want to improve on my skills by going for further trainings. I thank the government for the training.”
Commenting on her experience, Miss Abolaji Mary, in make-up section said, “I have learnt various make-up styles and it has been an interesting training for me. I thank Lagos State Government for this opportunity and I would like to improve on my skills beyond this programme.”
Others who spoke to Oriwu Sun include Uzorukwu Emmanuel in soap making section and Mrs. Abubakar Adenike, the Fashion Design Instructor, who disclosed that students were trained to cut skirts and blouses and to use hand needle to sew. She described the students’ response to the training as very impressive.
At the end of the programme, participants were expected to join their counterparts from the other two centres under Education District II in Maryland for the exhibition of their various products.