Skills development: FG hails the Kaduna model

The National Council on Skills (NCS) has commended Governor Uba Sani for the successful inauguration and establishment of the Kaduna State Skills Council in its last session.

In a letter conveying the praise, Vice President Kashim Shettima noted that “the council particularly noted your leadership in presiding over the Council of State, a move that aligns perfectly with the Renewed Hope Agenda and sets a benchmark for other subnational entities.”

“By creating an institutional framework dedicated to skills development, Kaduna State has demonstrated a proactive commitment to addressing the employment gap and promoting human capital development in line with our national objectives,” he stressed.

Vice President Shettima said the milestone of the creation of the Kaduna State Skills Council is a testament to the vision of Governor Uba Sani’s administration of integrated economic growth.

The Vice President further stated that the National Skills Council “views the Kaduna model as a vital model for the ‘bottom up’ approach to skills acquisition, essential to ensuring that our vocational and technical training initiatives effectively reach the grassroots.”

While urging the governor to maintain the momentum, the Vice President said NCS “looks forward to continued collaboration between the National Secretariat and the Kaduna State Council to harmonize standards and increase the impact of our interventions.”

It will be recalled that Governor Uba Sani has expanded technical and vocational education as well as skill acquisition by establishing three state-of-the-art Kaduna State Vocational Training and Skills Development (KIVTSD) institutes.

The three skill centers located in the towns of Soba, Rigachikun and Samarun Kataf, in the senatorial districts of Zones 1, 2 and 3 respectively, are expected to produce 12,000 artisans per year.

Craftsmen who are taught welding, aluminum fabrication, fashion designing, solar panel installation and other courses will be issued certificates after completing their respective programs.

The Kaduna State Government is also collaborating with the National Board For Technical Education (NBTE) for the relevant certification of courses.

The governor also plans to remodel the Panteka market, which has around 38,000 artisans, into an industrial hub, working in sectors such as welding and fabrication, carpentry and joinery, as well as bricklaying.