From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Korean Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Lee Tae has promised graduates of Nigeria – Korean Friendship Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology Lokoja, of unhindered access to employment with Korean Companies operating in Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa.
The Korean Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Lee Tae gave the assurance yesterday in Lokoja when he paid an official visit to the institution to acquaint himself with the progress and development of the institute in the delivery of its core mandate of facilitating technological growth of the state.
The Ambassador who was particularly happy with the lecturers and students in the quality of teaching and learning noted that his government has given directives to Korean companies operating in Nigeria and South Africa to allow the students to do their Students Industry Works Experience Scheme ( SIWES.) .
The ambassador while assuring the students of employment upon their graduation if they so wish to be absorbed by companies disclosed that the companies have also be mandated to offer free accommodation , transport and feeding to them.
The envoy who inspected automobile, Electrical and electronic, welding and ICT facilities at the center, said efforts are on top gears to upgrade the systems and equipment to conform to international standards.
He said to this end four professors from his country led by Professor Lee who is the brainchild of the institute in Kogi state have been deployed to the Institution for a one week to assess the needs and requirements of the School,
He promised to revamp the training the trainer scheme in Korea which hitherto had been training Administrators, instructors and lecturers of the Institute which was stopped in 2014 adding that the four professors were in the state to impart modern trend in technical and vocational training.
In a remark , the state commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs.Rosemary Osikoya, commended the Ambassador for the visit and his effort to reposition the institute hinting that the institute is set to revolutionize technology in the state.
The Commissioner disclosed that with the support of the governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello , the National Board For Technical Education visited the ion resources inspection and have granted full accreditation to the Institution thereby making it a full fledged tertiary institution in the Country.
Osikoya appealed to the Ambassador for the construction of Hostel facilities for the students to ease their accommodation problems, saying that , although the initial plan does not conceive the provision of hostel accommodation.
She informed the ambassador that the National Board for Technical Education ( NBTE) has given accreditation to the state’s four Technical colleges and the establishment of Federal Government Science and Technical College in the state , which would serve as a pool of those seeking for admission into the School.
The Commissioner assured the Ambassador and the four professors of the safety and security as the government has put in place measures for their smooth stay in the state.
She called on parents to avail their children and wards of the opportunity to enrol at the institute as the students would be equipped for employment both locally and internationally.
The Principal of the institute, Mr.Gabriel Okewu , had in his welcome address, praised the state government and Korean government for their unflinching support for the Institute .
He called on the youths to enroll at the institute to be trained in various field of technology saying the institute is a panacea for unemployment.
According to him the , Nigeria -Korean Friendship Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology, under the management of Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) was built and commissioned by the immediate past administration in 2015 and got full accreditation in 2018 by the present government and has been offering short time programmes adding that the School has commenced two years National Diploma programme.
