Minister urges polytechnics to drive quest for knowledge economy

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, has inaugurated the chairmen and members of the governing councils of federal polytechnics appointed recently by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking with journalists after the inauguration, Mallam Adamu enjoined the councils to drive the polytechnics in the quest to shift from the focus on certificates acquisition to skills acquisition and from the production model to mechanization and capital intensity.

“The responsibility of providing Nigeria’s large young population with the knowledge and skills needed by the labour market rests on you,” he told them.

While congratulating the council members on their appointment, the minister cautioned them to judiciously apply the institutions’ resources to add value and efficiency to outputs.

In an interview, the chairman of the governing council of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Oseloka Zikora, thanked the minister for finding him fit for the position, and to President Buhari for approving the appointment.

“I see this opportunity as a call to duty to serve my country and do my best to further the policies and lofty goals of Mr President and his government in education, as ably driven by Hon. Minister Adamu Adamu.

“I am persuaded to work to promote the vision and mission of the polytechnic to train skilful, knowledgeable, industrious and technological manpower for sustainable national development.”

Zikora is a public sector/development communications specialist with over 30 years’ diverse experience and skills in journalism, public relations, public affairs/policy analysis, and public service delivery.

He was until his appointment the programme coordinator, African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW), where he deputized for the executive secretary in the oversight management of the secretariat of AMCOW.

AMCOW is a specialised technical committee of the African Union primarily set up to provide political leadership, policy direction and advocacy in the provision, use and management of water resources for sustainable social and economic development and maintenance of Africa ecosystems.