The Minister of State for Education, Dr Suwaiba Ahmad has pledged to introduce sewing skills development in state schools to promote the advancement of Nigerian children.
Ahmad said this when the leadership of the Non-Governmental Association of Literacy Support Services (NOGALSS) and the Ladi Memorial Foundation (LMF) paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja on Friday.
The visit was intended to inform the minister about the upcoming National Sewing Competition for young schoolchildren across the country.
The minister noted the importance of skill empowerment in a child’s growth and development, stressing the need for stakeholders to collaborate in promoting skill development.
“Sewing is practical and easy to implement at the basic level simply because the skills required do not occupy too much space, and we have enough teachers who can handle it.
“We are looking at skills not only in sewing but in other areas as well because sometimes these skills depend on your nature and passion, but there is always a beginning.
“This initiative is one of those we can consider for scaling. If we implement initiatives at the federal level without extending them to the state level, the impact will be minimal and almost insignificant.
“This is because a large number of our students come from the states. We must find a way to ensure we carry the states along,” she said.
Ahmad also noted that the ministry is working on a comprehensive strategy to ensure skills acquisition at all levels of education, not only at the basic level but also in tertiary education.
The National President of NOGALSS, Noah Emmanuel, urged stakeholders to actively promote skill development at every level, stressing that skills are vital for national economic growth.
“Skills are the most important thing, and we need to promote them at all costs and across all regions. With skills, you will achieve everything, and economically, the country will improve.
“Everyone will become an employer of labour, and this will help the country grow. We are dedicated to making it work, and there is no going back,” he said.
The National Coordinator of the National Sewing Championship, Rosemary Osikoya, said that the competition, which is in its third phase, will help nurture skills among students across various states.
“We want every child in Nigeria to have the opportunity to showcase their talents. It’s about what they’ve been taught in school and what competencies they have that are market-ready.
“We need the Federal Ministry of Education to take ownership of the project and provide incentives for every child in Nigeria,” she said.
Mrs Lami Isah, President of the Home Economics Teachers Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, emphasised the need to encourage the teaching of home economics at all educational levels.
“Encouraging this subject will help catch the children young, and there will be enough teachers to teach it. If we don’t promote it, we risk a shortage of teachers for senior secondary students in the future.
“We want JAMB to recognise this subject as a crucial aspect of youth empowerment. Through skill acquisition, every young person will become economically independent and potentially an employer of labour,” she said.
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