Enugu State Polytechnic, in partnership with Presico Investment Ltd, has established a new institution called the Enugu State Business and Innovation School (EBIS).
The new school is designed to bridge the gap between vocational, technical, and digital skills in the Nigerian educational system, and will provide executive training, basic business training, and technical, vocational and digital skills to its students.
According to Ediawe Roland, the Executive Director of EBIS, the school was established to address the missing link in the Nigerian educational system.
He noted that while there are private training institutions that provide technical and vocational training, there is a need to blend these skills with executive training, which is the orientation of Enugu State Polytechnic.
Roland also emphasized the importance of digital skills in the modern world, as technology is changing at a rapid pace. The Enugu State Business and Innovation School will be run as a public-private partnership (PPP), with Prisico Investment Ltd serving as the operator of the school. ESPOLY is the major head, and the certificate will be awarded by Enugu State Polytechnic.
Lawrence Ede, a member of the steering committee of the Enugu State Business and Innovation School, noted that the courses available in the school are divided into two major categories: business partnership and technical vocational courses.
He also highlighted the need for generational business transition, as many businesses in Nigeria fail to survive beyond their owners.
The Enugu State Business and Innovation School aims to address this problem by providing business management training that can help businesses transition from one generation to the next.
The school will also offer courses in modern agriculture, with a focus on smart farming that can generate high yields on limited land.
Dr. Chikezie Obasi, another member of the steering committee, criticized the academic curriculum in Nigeria, stating that it was designed to solve the problems of the white man, rather than the African man.
He emphasized the importance of the Igbo apprenticeship system, which he believes is a perfect fit for the Enugu State Business and Innovation School.
Dr. Obasi noted that the welding industry and agriculture sector in Nigeria are doing great work, and that the Enugu State Business and Innovation School will focus on providing skills training that will enable students to contribute meaningfully to these sectors.
He also emphasized the need to modify the Nigerian environment to make it more conducive to the development of technical and vocational skills.
The Enugu State Business and Innovation School will offer courses in coding, basic journalism, and data analysis. The school also aims to educate its students on cryptocurrency, with the goal of enabling them to receive payments in foreign currencies.
In addition to its academic programs, the Enugu State Business and Innovation School has also established a solar panel industry and a computer center. The school aims to optimize the use of technology in its operations, and hopes to produce machines that can be used in agriculture.
The Enugu State Business and Innovation School is an exciting new institution that aims to address the missing link in the Nigerian educational system. With its focus on vocational, technical, and digital skills, as well as its emphasis on business management and smart farming, the school is poised to make a significant impact in Nigeria’s economy.