Education stakeholders converging on the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) under the aegis of the Association of Vocational and Technical Educators of Nigeria (AVTEN) have lamented the socioeconomic downturn crippling the country and advocated for massive investment in vocational skills development as a way out.
The national president of AVTEN, Prof Effiong Asuquo, noted that the conference, the 32nd in the series with the theme; “Technical/Vocational Education in an Era of Economic Uncertainties in Nigeria: Challenges and Way Forward,” became necessary in view of the biting economic challenges facing the country.
“There is no point doubting the country is facing serious economic uncertainties that defy known economic theories and principles.”
The uncertainties have their bearings on how the nation can tackle the problems of the high cost of living, rising prices of essential goods and services, high cost of transportation, high rate of insecurity, acute food shortage and poor balance of trade and payment, among others.
“The precarious nature of the situation calls for possible solutions. This conference is expected to do just that. I believe that participants, mostly technical/vocational education experts, will do justice to this hyper-dreaded subject matter,” he assured.
Chairman of the occasion, Antiaobong Ekong, a retired professor of the institution, who pointed out that education remains the key to driving the economy out of the woods, warned against commercialisation and plan by the federal government to privatise education, noting that “Nigeria will be completely dead if education is privatised.”
The Faculty of Vocational Education, Library and Information Science dean, Prof. Nsini Akpan, lamented that in the last 10 years, inflation has combined with other economic exigencies to compound the system without a commensurate production ratio.
“More worrisome has been the continued rise in inflation and uncertainties surrounding key economic activities and the general economic outlook of the nation. Apparently, budgets and fiscal policies are running out of the road to spur growth and sustain the national economy.
“The level of growth in the next decade falls to innovation, education, research and development. Activities that generate new ideas, new products and new service delivery models will be vital for the nation and the institutions,” he noted.
The vice chancellor (VC), Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, represented by the deputy VC in charge of administration, Prof. Aniekan Offiong, urged the conferees not to use the forum as another talk shop and expressed optimism that the quality of resource persons would come out with implementable solutions needed to steer the nation afloat.
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