The Chief Skills Development and Certification Officer in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Akwa Ibom State, Mr Uko Frank, has expressed regret over the poor response to trade test certification in the state.
Addressing newsmen in Uyo, Frank who blamed the development on a lack of awareness by the state government, said he had observed that many youth clamouring for employment do not possess the required trade test certificates to authenticate their skills.
While noting that many people trained in different skills are issued with testimonials instead of trade test certificates, Frank urged the state Ministry of Education to create awareness of trade certification to add value to skills acquired by artisans in the state.
He said: “I have moved around Nigeria and discovered that some people have benefitted more than us. We have been issuing trade test certificates to several artisans. Anything you don’t know is because you don’t have awareness.
” This is the only opportunity I have in my place to issue these certificates to my people who are artisans. But I discovered that my people don’t even know the importance of trade test certificates. They are supposed to scramble for the certificate because we have the oil, all the parastatals and other things happening in Akwa Ibom.
“I observed that many people who are trained in different skills, after graduation, are issued testimonials instead of approaching the federal Ministry of Labour to obtain the trade test certificates. We should change this orientation.”
Frank who recalled that the trade test certificate started in 1946 shortly after the Second World War said that the certificate has since then been used to certify qualified artisans in various trades.
While noting that trade test is the bedrock of the technical environment, he regretted that the state government through the Ministry of Education only pays WAEC and NABTEB examination fees for students while students pursuing skills in technical colleges are neglected.
He advised that the trainees at Dakadda Skill Acquisition Centre at Ikot Adaidem in Itu Council Area should be encouraged by government to acquire trade test certificates to back their skills.
When contacted, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet did not pick up her calls. She also did not respond to text messages sent to her phone.
FG laments poor response to trade test certification in A’Ibom
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