FG kicks off vocational project in Lagos on poverty reduction
Obafela Bank-Olemoh
Targets 15,000 beneficiaries in pilot states
The Federal Government, yesterday, officially kicked-off Project T-MAX, a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme in Lagos aimed at lifting 100 million out of poverty by 2030.
There are seven states listed for pilot scheme, which are Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Enugu, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Gombe, with the aim of empowering at least, 15,000 Nigerians.
Out of the beneficiaries, 3,000 are being targeted in Lagos, while 2,000 each will benefit from the other six states.
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Education Intervention, Fela Bank-Olemoh, and Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, disclosed this at a media briefing and official launch of the programme held at the state’s Ministry of Education, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to Bank-Olemoh, the project also aimed at poverty alleviation and employment opportunities among the masses.
“For this pilot phase of the project, which spans from August – December 2022, 15,000 individuals will be trained across the pilot states.
“Some of the skills that will be deployed include Information, Communication Technology (ICT), tiling and stone work, solar installation, welding and fabrication, plumbing and fittings, domestic electrical wiring and installation and others.
“At the end of the programme, starter packs will be given to top participants in each state based on participants’ assessment rankings. These starter packs will set selected beneficiaries off in their respective acquired skills,” Bank-Olemoh stated.
Bank-Olemoh added that the portal for application would be opened by September 1, 2022 for prospective participants to apply for the training programme, which is expected to kick off officially in September and end by November.
Adefisayo, in her remarks, commended the initiative of the Federal Government, stressing that it would create the opportunity for youths to learn trade that would help them to be useful members of the society rather than relying on academic certificates alone.
The commissioner, who added that technical and vocational training were needed to meet up the current reality in the society, reiterated the commitment of state government in training youths to be self-reliant.
