By Wuraola OyedokunÂ
Oyo State House of Assembly, on Thursday, urged the Governor Seyi Makinde-led government to focus more on vocational education with a view to providing more opportunities to the youths.
In a motion, moved by the lawmaker representing Ogbomoso North state constituency, Mrs. Olubisi Michael, the house lamented that attention given to technical education is considerably low.
The motion is titled: ‘’Need for the Executive Arm of Government to Boost Opportunities in Vocational Education for Students’ Skill Development and to Approve the Construction of Vocational Centres in each Local Government Area of the State’’.
The house noted that vocational education and training allows  students to gain practical experience in their chosen career path before they can even graduate.
After deliberations, the house urged, ‘’the executive arm of government through the ministry of Education, Science and Technology to allocate sufficient funds for the execution of programmes relating to technical and vocational education, ensure timely release of allocated fund for prompt execution of projects and provide adequate tools, equipment, machines and materials for the Board of Technical and Vocational Education to ensure quality service delivery’’.
The house also emphasised the need to popularise technical and vocational education through various advocacy programmes , exhibitions and offer scholarships or financial assistance to brilliant indigent students for further studies.
‘’We call on the government to approve the establishment of additional vocational centres, one per local government area and provide soft revolving loans to committed trainees in the vocational training centres after the completion of their programmes’’, Hon. Michael added.