The future of every nation depends deeply on the caliber of youth it nurtures and the nation’s ability to sustain them for a good number of years. The preparation of the youth to face the challenges when the present crop of leaders are no more is very important for any nation that wants to shine brightly as the years pass by. This preparation I am talking about cut across spiritual, mental, social, physical and emotional.

The youth need to be well equipped so that in their generation, they would bring to bare the expertise that has been planted in them by the previous generations. It is base on this that the call by educationists to pay particular attention on Vocational and Technical education is very relevant and essential.

In talking about the preparation, I made mention of mental preparation and that is the education aspect of training a nation should give its youth if they consider them as the future leaders. Education is a very important component of every vibrant youth, which is why we have the adage “Education is the key”. Education as a key has got the ability to unlock all facets in the life of the individual who has gone through it. The educational training when well managed and packaged could take care of all the other aspects talked about – physiological and psychological needs.

In this country, three forms of secondary educational systems are practiced. These are the Senior High, the Technical and the Vocational systems. In some cases, some are merged to have SECTECH and TECHNICAL and VOCATIONAL schools, but all these three aim at preparing the youth for specific tasks in the future and to take up challenges from different sectors of the economy, a fact which cannot be ignored.

It must be stated categorically that, despite the various forms of tasks supposed to be taken by each of these three systems of second cycle institutions, much emphasis has been on the senior high school system rather than the vocational or the technical systems. It has been labeled as if those who attend senior high schools are more brilliant than those who find themselves in the technical and vocational institutions.

As a result, our technical and vocational schools are gradually fading out of the system since every J.H.S graduate wants to attend a senior high school and if you dare ask him or her to try a technical or vocational school, you are seen as “an enemy of progress”. This perception is gradually gaining grounds in our youth and that is why I think a call by educationist to the government to take a serious look at our technical and vocational education is in the right direction.

Problems engulfing the present Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) include inadequate funding, obsolete training equipment, absence of linkages with industry, poor infrastructure, poor public perception as well as lack of testing and certification standards among others not leaving out the issue of qualified teachers.

I think it is time our technical and vocational schools receive a lot of attention by all stakeholders of education. The extent of the neglect also contributes to this stigma or perception associated with the system. Even though some students genuinely possesses technical and vocational skills, they find themselves in senior high schools offering courses they have little or no idea about but feel comfortable than to attend a technical or vocational school where their colleagues would look down upon them.

It would therefore be proper if the Guidance and Counseling Unit of the Education Service live up to expectation.

It would interest readers to know that about 40% of JHS students, who enter various senior high schools to do various courses, chose their courses simply because their friends choose that same course. Even most of them do not know the prospects of the courses they are doing. Again, about 30% are also influenced by their parents. Surprisingly, only about 15% to 20% choose their courses base on a fore knowledge about the prospects of their courses. The rest are either influenced by their teachers, brothers etc.

In fact, it is because of this that I think there is a need to counsel and guide our JHS students in selecting schools with their respective courses which should be in conformity with what they want to do in the future. They should be guided in making the right choices since choice is a necessity of life and can make or unmake us. Teachers should encourage students to attend technical and vocational schools when the students exhibit good skills in those areas. There should also be a special package for students who would opt for a technical or vocational school. All these are aimed at making our technical and vocational institutions very attractive.

Although others would not agree with me, I must say that the current rise in remedial students boils down to the fact some people are not making right choices and also have not recognize the essence of technical and vocational education. Everyone wants to go to a senior high school (S.H.S) and are indeed “wasting their time” writing remedial for years despite the fact that some of them are good vocationally or technically.

Our dear country needs a vibrant youth who would spearhead the affairs of the country in the future; it is a matter of training and preparing them to live up to the task. Let us all get involve in reviving our technical and vocational institutions. If we are able to do that, we would be doing something good to the future generation.

Technical and Vocational education provides the youth with personal skills which enables them to start up something after school, that is being self-employed. This is a very good way of curbing unemployment or depending on the government for employment and also nurturing the youth to face the challenges ahead. I also think the youth on the street should be encouraged to enter these institutions. The government should help those with financial difficulties if the government really wants to reduce the number of youth on the street.

The onus lies on us, the youth, stakeholders and the government to revitalize the vocational and technical institutions. To the youth, it is our future we are talking about, we can save ourselves from lots of trouble by entering a technical or vocational school: a real option to a brighter future we have always yeaned for.

All stakeholders and the government should make the technical and vocational institutions very attractive. These institutions should be well equipped with adequate teachers and resources and the perception that society have about these institutions should be dealt with. It is only when these are done that we would witness a tremendous growth of our vocational and technical institutions.

This call is in the right direction and we should help to nurture the youth for a better tomorrow.