The ceremony, which was for the entire South-East states and held in Owerri, capital of Imo state, had a deep freezer, gas cooker, sewing machine, Kenwood blender and other consolatory prizes in the start-up packs.
Speaking, the Executive Secretary of NMEC, Simon Ibor, said that his administration introduced the Literacy Through Economic Empowerment Strategy project to train and access learners in vocational skills in the areas of tailoring, hairdressing and home economics.
Ibor, who spoke through his acting director, Special Programmes, Mrs Alugbere, said the initiative was billed to empower students to be self-reliant, self-employed and employ others.
He said, “This will indirectly draw them out of poverty, reduce crimes/criminality and other vices related to poverty and unemployment. This ceremony will also provide a platform for interaction with relevant stakeholders on how best to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.
“Once again, NMEC introduced this initiative to reduce crime and criminality as well as enhance the socioeconomic status of the states.”
Adding her voice, the NMEC Head of the Department of Vocational Skills and Continuing Education, Mrs Nnena Ejieji, gave the reason for the start-up packs, adding that the programme would amount to effort in futility if the indigent learners/graduands were not given what to start up the learnt skills with.
“The sustainability of programmes of this sort had hitherto, failed because the graduates could not go into the labour market owing to lack of start-up packs. Without start-up packs, the essence of the programme is defeated even after acquiring the training and skills,” Ejieji said.
In her speech, the Director of Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Folake Olatunji-David, commended NMEC for the initiative through LEES, adding that it was proof that literacy not only enriches individuals but creates opportunities for the development of skills.
Olatunji-David, represented by her Deputy Director Languages, Mrs Afolabi Taiwo, called on state governments to collaborate with the NMEC to sustain the initiative.
In his speech, the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, described the NMEC initiative as a laudable one.
Uzodimma, who spoke through his Commissioner for Education, Prof JohnCliff Nwadike, said, “ I described the programmes as a laudable one because education with self-reliance is a worthwhile venture.”
