As Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, advances on repositioning the state as the hotbed for technical and vocational education, the state government has concluded plans for construction of workshops, classrooms, laboratories, resource centres and purchase of top-of-the-range equipment for the Benin Technical College, also known as the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), in Benin City.
In a statement, Special Adviser, Media and Communication Strategy to the Governor, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the state government seeks bids from contractors for the rehabilitation work as well as fitting the college with requisite equipment for world-class technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
He said the project is being handled by the GSTC Benin Rehabilitation Programme Office.
Osagie stated that government is refurbishing nine existing buildings, construct four classroom blocks, two workshops, a specialist training centre as well as general site works and services.
According to him, the equipment would enable the students to gain skills and knowledge in various aspects of vocational education to enable them drive the industrialisation policy in the state and compete with their contemporaries across the globe.
He noted that the Knowledge Resource Centre at the College would serve the needs of the students and teachers at the college, adding that fittings that would be purchased include, “furniture for reception, books shelving and minimal seating as well as, supply of books.”
The equipment to be purchased, according to the statement, include those for, “Auto-Electrical Works; Building Construction/Bricklaying, Block-laying & Concreting Works; Electrical Installation; Mechanical Engineering Craft Practice; Motor Vehicle Mechanic Works; Radio, TV & Electronics Works; Refrigeration & Air-conditioning Works; Vehicle Body Building & Repair/ Auto-mobile Maintenance.
“We are also purchasing Laboratory Equipment for Technical Drawing Department.”
He added that government is purchasing 2000 units of combined desks and chairs as well as furniture for Administrative Block and Dining Hall.
Recall that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration has prioritised TVET as a part of the state’s industrialisation drive, and is committed to rehabilitating the GSTC as a model technical school to produce critical technical manpower for industries making in-roads to the state, in the wake of a spike in investments by manufacturing companies, among others.
