LATEEF IBRAHIM in this report writes about how technical equipment meant to train technical students in the state lay waste.
The establishment of technical education was conceptualised to provide qualitative technological human resources to develop a pool of skilled and self-reliant craftsmen, technicians, and technologists in technical and vocational education.
In Osun state, that purpose is being jettisoned in some colleges where students lack access to the skills and are thereby involved solely in theory like their counterparts in other secondary schools.
Osun State Technical College has produced men and women with technical skills that have succeeded in their different careers across the country, many of who are still recognized for the impacts they are making in society.
Not until recently when it was abandoned to its present state of disrepair, the college has been one of the best places where people are made to be self-reliant, thereby reducing unemployment and over-dependence on white-collar jobs.
A visit to the Osogbo centre christened ‘A Life Academy’ by the administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola revealed that the students are no longer engaged meaningfully in practical skills while findings also showed that the modern equipment purchased by the administration of Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s administration was locked up without use, even when some of the equipment are rotting away.
Investigation revealed that Oyinlola because of his love for technical education, approached an Israeli firm, Skill G Construction Company, and in the process entered into an agreement on how to develop and equip the nine technical colleges in Osun with modern equipment that can be used to train the students to be self-independent. It was this agreement that propelled Oyinlola to pay about N2.7 billion for the purchase of modern equipment across the technical schools in the state.
Ex SSG speaks on project
Speaking with Blueprint on the intention of Oyinlola to salvage the technical school during his tenure, then Secretary to the State Government, Kazeem Adio expressed displeasure over the present state of the equipment purchased with huge amounts, saying that lack of continuity in government has caused havoc to the technical colleges that Oyinlola would not be happy if he sees the way they are being managed.
It was gathered that the equipment was supplied during the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (now interior minister), who sent an invitation to Oyinlola to come and commission the tools, saying that it was (Oyinlola’s) project.
In a telephone conversation with Blueprint, Adio who noted that the legacy of Oyinlola has been education and youth development, explained that, “We discovered there was a gap. Most of our graduates, after studying for four years and get their degrees cannot practically put them into use. Unemployment rose; so saw a huge gap within the technical and vocational skills sector. People could easily get technical skills in society and earn a living. We have so many skills. Not only the students, people outside the cab also learn the use of machines for mass production and subsequent distribution. Oyinlola went as far as Israel to tap into their technology and he brought modern equipment to be used for technical and vocational centers across the state.
“As we speak, a huge percentage of that equipment is in Osogbo while the other ones have been distributed to other centres. The lack of continuity in governance affected the project and the dream of those years has not yet been fulfilled. So the advice will be that the new government should quickly tap into the good work and try to rejuvenate what is already on the ground. It will help our young ones. “We have auto-mechanics; they could be taught how to assemble cars, carpentry, building, plumbing and shoemaking with modern equipment. The equipment is still there. When you lock up equipment for so long, it will lose value.
“It is Osun’s money and no matter what the value of those assets there is now, we should not allow it to just waste like that. I doubt if the company will still be willing to help Osun but with the right approach, those people are still in the country doing well in other states. They did a similar thing in Ekiti and they were happy with the utilization of the centers there. Osun needs to wake up and get it done,” Adio added.
Principal declines comment
The principal of the college declined comments on the matter while the executive secretary who also declined comment, said he has submitted his report to the government. He explained that the government of Ademola Adeleke set up a committee that has met us, saying, ‘It is the committee that can speak on it because we have submitted our reports to them.”
Confirming report
A senior staff in the college who pleaded anonymity disclosed that Aregbesola paid about N1billion to ensure the supply of the equipment in 2018. According to him, former governor Adegboyega Oyetola also paid N100 million but the money owed to the supplier remains N900 million, hence the refusal to open the workshop for usage.
He disclosed that students are not having access to modern equipment in the workshop, confessing that people would have loved to enroll in the school with the kind of students the college would be producing if the equipment had been released for use.
He said, “We are not happy that the workshop is locked. It has affected the product we would have produced. The equipment is modern one that would have enabled the students to stand out in the town. If you train students with that equipment, their products would be different in the town and it will surely increase the number of enrolment in the college.
“It is unfortunate that technical education is in moribund state in this state. Some students that were brought here are those that failed Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) exam. They would have improved their skills and their counterpart in other schools would be enjoying them if they have the opportunity to be trained with that equipment.”
Students lament situation
A student of Carpentry and Joinery in the college, who explained that they do practicals once a week, stated that the practical workshop has not been opened.
He said, “We usually do practicals every Monday. The last term we did, they grouped us and asked us to make a stool which we did.
“We were asked to buy a saw and other carpentry equipment to be used for our practice. They showed us a store where the big equipment is kept and promised us that we will soon be using it, but now, we do most of our work in the classroom for lectures, particularly from Tuesday to Friday.
“They didn’t tell us when the store will be opened. They just promised that once it is opened, we would be using it for practical. They said big engines are in the store that will aid our work instead of manual drilling that we are doing,” he stated.
Another student in the Department of Refrigerator and Air Conditions explained that teachers usually bring cars from outside for the students to use for practice. He said, “We later discovered that our teachers are not usually the owner of the cars. We don’t bother because we use it to improve our learning. As for me, I’m still going to another place to learn the work after leaving school in the afternoon. Though there is little or no difference between what we do in school and the one I learn outside. However, the school will teach you how to write the materials and other processes, that is the major advantage.”
A teacher speaks
A teacher who pleaded anonymity said the students are engaged in manual production because the equipment have not been released for use. have
He said, “The college was good before. It has produced many great men in the field of crafts. The current students do not have access to that equipment. If they open it in time, the students would have been lucky because the kind of equipment delivered to the college will not only make students the best, they will stand out among others in the society.”
When contacted, the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, said he is not aware of the purported report by the executive secretary of the technical college.
