“College of Education Technical, Kabba has the Capacity to Embark on Mass Production of Tricycles.” – Says, Mrs Victoria Olusola Jagboro.
Mrs Victoria Olusola Jagboro is the Provost of College of Education Technical, Kabba. In this interview with newsmen, she bears her mind on the success recorded by the institution as well as notable development of education sector in the Yahaya Bello led administration.
Excerpts;
Question
Recently, Kogi State marks her thirty first anniversary. No doubt education plays a critical role in the development of any society. How would you rate the state in that aspect?
Answer
I think the State has made her own landmark achievements. The primary and secondary education, particularly in the present administration of Governor Yahaya Bello have recorded a lot of success. The Commissioner for Education, Doctor Wemi Jones has always moved to every nooks and crannies to monitor the sector to see that things are moving on well. Kogi State has risen above United Nation, I mean (UNESCO) twenty six percent budget recommendation for education. Kogi State Government allotted thirty percent annual budget to education sector. There have been a massive construction and renovations of schools across the state. We have an ultramodern model with world class teaching facilities at Adankolo School, Lokoja. Look at the establishment of Confluence University. No doubt, these are landmark achievements because it was during the peak of COVID-19 that the idea was conceived, established and within a year, the institution admitted the first set of students which are about to graduate now. As far as am concerned, the state is faring well in the sector. Look at our case at the Technical College Kabba, when I got here, I met two hundred and thirteen students and enormous numbers of workers. By the grace of God, we had increased to over a thousand before the problem of All Colleges of Education emerged. We are doing fine and our products have always demonstrated their capacity to contribute positively to their immediate environment and beyond.
Read more: College Of Education Kabba: Provost Jagboro Fetes With New Attah Igala
Question
Your institution recently manufactured a tricycle which is a major means of transportation in the state capital. Are there future prospect for mass production?
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Answer
Yes! For mass production, all we need is money. The tricycle was like a research that was done. It was sponsored by TETFUND. With the development, if we have enough fund and sponsors particularly in the private sector and cooperate organizations, we can surely have mass production. The people who did it are still here, we keep having students in the Technical Education particularly in the metal works, the supervisors and instructors are there. Therefore, the possibility of producing more of the tricycle is there. In fact, the production of the tricycle is not up to three months. Everything that is needed is locally sourced and each department of the School of Technical Education took part in it. The metal work department built the body, the automobile took care of the mechanical aspects, the woodwork took care of the seats. So the possibility of doing more is there if we have the support.
Question
You recently bagged an award from a media outlet in Kogi (Nigerian Post) in Lokoja. Are there areas you wish to improve on for future recognition?
Answer
Well, my school is Technical Education. Technical Education spearhead Technology which is the bedrock of the development of any nation. I would loved to produce students who can collaborate or stand alone and make the society a better place. I mean a technologically developed society. My products should be able to serve as competent teachers, employers of labour as well as individuals who spearhead technological breakthrough. Nigerians have seen the drone designed by one of our students. This particular Innovation has drawn the attention of the college to the United States of America. I had received calls from there. It was seen on Facebook after the student presented it as a project to pass exam. Thereafter he fly it around, not knowing that someone, somewhere would appreciate his talent and creativity. As a result of the job, we had gone places. My joy is that people should be properly educated to be able to stand on their own and become employers of labour.
Question
Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU)’s strike has generated a lot of controversies. In a situation like this, what is your advice to both parties?
Answer
Where two elephants fight, the grass always suffer. The two major factors to this matter are ASUU and the Federal Government. There can never be a cry without a reason and no smoke without fire. Both parties must be on the negotiation table and sort out themselves to end the crises in order not to truncate the future of the teeming youths. Nigerian youths sometimes ago were branded as lazy set up of people. However in a situation like this, are we not by ourselves forcing our youths to be redundant in one way or the other? That is why I will appeal to both parties to embrace dialogue in the interest of the nation and for future generation.
