By the Editor
The Edo State Senior Secondary Education Board (SSEB) has unveiled its Student Skills Acquisition and Wealth Creation Exhibition, an initiative aimed at equipping students with practical skills, promoting self-reliance and fostering entrepreneurial development among senior secondary school students in the state.
The exhibition, which brought together education stakeholders and students, provided a platform for learners to showcase products developed through skills acquisition and demonstrate the potential of practical education in preparing young people for life beyond the classroom.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Washington Osifo, commended the SSEB Chairman, Dr. Rita Otibho Erewele, for the initiative, noting that the exhibition demonstrated the potential of young people.
Dr. Osifo, who stressed that “there is nothing the hand cannot do if the head can conceive it,” said skills acquisition should be incorporated into the curriculum of schools across Edo State.
He therefore urged the SSEB Chairman to prepare a memorandum for consideration and approval by the state government under the leadership of Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo.
The Commissioner’s call underscores the importance of integrating practical skills into secondary education to complement academic learning and prepare students for opportunities beyond formal schooling.
In her remarks, the SSEB Chairman, Dr. Rita Otibho Erewele, said the initiative was conceived to equip senior secondary school students with practical skills that would enable them to become financially independent and better prepared for life beyond secondary education.
She explained that the programme would also help keep students positively engaged during holidays and reduce their vulnerability to social vices, including cultism, irregular migration, bullying and prostitution.
According to her, the initiative is designed to encourage students to develop productive skills and explore opportunities for creativity and wealth creation from an early age.
Students who spoke at the exhibition expressed appreciation to the Board for providing them with the opportunity to acquire new skills and learn how to turn their creativity into sources of income.
The products displayed included bleach, liquid soap, air fresheners, shoes, school bags, cakes, plantain chips and potato chips, among other items produced by the students.
The exhibition was attended by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Washington Osifo; Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr. Felix Akabue; Executive Chairman of the Edo State Primary Healthcare Board; Special Adviser on Capital Development; a former Commissioner for Mining; Director-General of Quality Assurance and Accountability; SSEB board members; executive principals; and other stakeholders in the education sector.
