The Chief Political Adviser and Head of Political Bureau to the Government of Imo State, Chief Perry Opara, has commended the Commissioner for Tertiary and Technical Education, Professor Victor Nwachukwu, for his efforts in revamping education in the state.
During an official visit to the Ministry, Opara stated that this was his fourth time serving in government and that he has come to understand that government performance should not only be judged by public opinions but through firsthand evaluation. He noted that the Ministry of Education, particularly the new Ministry of Tertiary and Technical Education, is one of the high-performing arms of government.
Opara explained that Governor Hope Uzodimma created the Ministry to ensure direct supervision of tertiary institutions and revive technical education, which had suffered long years of neglect. He cited impressive achievements such as renovation of classrooms, school publication reforms, payment of salaries, and massive course accreditation across tertiary institutions in the state.
Opara expressed concern over the lack of interest among Imo youth in technical trades, a gap that has led to artisans from outside Nigeria dominating skilled labour in Imo. He reminisced about the glorious days of Ahiazu Technical College, where students mastered trades like carpentry, electrical installation, and plumbing. He warned that without a revival of technical education, the future of local labour productivity remains threatened.
“His Excellency, Governor Uzodimma, is deeply committed to human capital development. Many people have made wealth through skilled trades. We want to bring back the tradition of trade tests and the culture of skill acquisition,” Opara said.
He stressed the importance of synergy between the political bureau and the Ministry to align with His Excellency’s agenda of equipping youths in modern technology, including computer and artificial intelligence training.
Both Opara and Professor Nwachukwu agreed on the need to encourage Governor Uzodimma to sustain his focus on technical education, promising that the state will soon witness a transformation where more Imo youths will be skilled and productive.
In his response, Professor Victor Nwachukwu expressed gratitude for the visit, describing it as encouraging and timely. He explained that although this is his first time residing in Imo, he is fully committed to contributing his quota to the state’s education system.
He acknowledged that technical education had been abandoned for years but is now being revived under Governor Uzodimma. He also revealed plans to partner with NGOs for a town hall meeting to combat sexual harassment in higher institutions and enforce quality assurance policies, especially discouraging the use of textbooks as a passing criterion by lecturers.
“We are also reintroducing the UNN model of admissions through a three-stage committee departmental, faculty, and central. We are open to constructive criticism and focused on infrastructural development and course accreditations,” Professor Nwachukwu stated.
