Dr. Owan Obodagu Tonica, the Provost of Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, has described the school as a better alternative for Nigerian students, adding that students’ welfare and upkeep are top priorities in the institution.
He said the college management places so much premium in ensuring that students got the very best of care and attention to properly and adequately groom them in both character and learning.
Obodagu who stated that the college is gradually transiting from a monotechnic to a polytechnic added that the institution is well positioned to churn out individuals with innovative ideas on how sustainable development can be achieved because students of the institution undergo technical sessions in their respective disciplines.
The Provost further explained that the world of today required teamwork and cooperation to enthrone a society with abundant economic opportunities; hence he stressed the dire need for cooperative studies as credible alternatives to nurture and train future industrialists, entrepreneurs, and employers of labour that would help to build the nation’s economy.
The FCCO Provost noted that the advantages of passing through a cooperative institution are too numerous to mention, noting that cooperatives help to inculcate as well as instill the virtues of diligence and self-reliance in the individual, adding that the College does not train her students to be job-seekers but employers of labour and wealth creators upon graduation.
According to him, the Federal Cooperative College Oji River blazes the trail in the inculcation of technical and vocational skills suitable for both the Nigerian market and international markets because the institution has all the necessary facilities students require to excel in areas where they have comparative advantages.
The FCCO Provost who recently received a meritorious award from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for his legacy projects in the college, disclosed that countries like China, Germany, Malaysia, Dubai, and some other nations have leveraged on technical and vocational skills to develop and advance their economies.
He stressed that the role of cooperative education in building a viable sustainable economy can not be overemphasized while suggesting his college as a credible alternative for Nigerians who intend to think outside the box especially now that white-collar jobs are practically non-existent in the country.
He said the mission and vision of the school are to remodel Nigerian youths towards self-employment with internationally recognized certificates in marketable skills, especially where they have very high proficiencies.