Refurbishment of Ibadan, Saki technical colleges begins, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Iseyin's to wait

Refurbishment of Ibadan, Saki technical colleges begins, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Iseyin’s to wait

Khalid ABRAHAM

The promised refurbishment of the Oyo state Technical Colleges in Ibadan and Saki are about to begin as contractors who would execute the projects are being mobilised to site, ogbomosoinsightonline.com has learnt.

Recall last October during the funeral service of late Chief Michael Koleoso in Saki, Oke-Ogun area of the state, the state governor Engr Seyi Makinde promised the two technical colleges would be refurbished in line with his vision of enhancing technical education and vocational training in the state.

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Makinde made this known then in a release by his Special Adviser (Media), Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, while speaking at the funeral service at Ajegunle Baptist Church, Saki, stressing the project would be undertaken in conjunctions with the government of Finland.

Amid a plethora of other issues the governor said, “Also, a few days before his passing, I was in Finland, and he called me while we were engaging the education officials there. They said they place more emphasis on technical education and not paper qualifications. Then, I told Baba that one of the requests he gave me would be worked upon, which was that the Saki Technical College must be refurbished and re-launched.

“It will be done with the assistance of the government of Finland; I have signed it already. The Technical College in Ibadan and the one in Saki will be the first to be refurbished, and it will happen starting from the 2025 budget.”

Then in November, the Oyo state Executive Council approved a sum of N1,153, 414, 098.81 for the first phase of the project which is the construction of the required infrastructure in the colleges including remodeling and revamping of the two technical colleges according to the World Bank Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) standard.

Impeccable sources have informed ogbomosoinsightonline.com that contractors would soon begin the projects.

It is however not yet clear whether the three other technical colleges in the state – Ogbomoso, Oyo and Iseyin will likewise be attended to even as the people in these communities yearn for their upgrading.