31st July, 2019
Graduates of Nigeria-Korean Friendship Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology (NKFI) in Kogi have been assured of employment with Korean Companies operating in Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa.
The Korean Amb. to Nigeria, Mr Lee In-Tae gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to the NKFI on Wednesday in Lokoja.
According to In-Tae, the visit is to acquaint him with the progress and development of the institute in the delivery of its core mandate of advancing technological growth in Kogi.
In-Tae said that Korean Government had given directives to Korean companies operating in Nigeria and South Africa to accommodate NKFI students for their Students Industry Works Experience Scheme (SIWES).
He added that the companies had also be mandated to offer free accommodation, transport, and feeding for the interns, saying that the students would be considered for employment by the companies after graduation.
The ambassador with his envoy inspected the Automobile, Electrical, Electronic, Welding and ICT facilities.
He stated that efforts were in top gear to upgrade the systems and equipment to conform to international standards.
“All is set to upgrade the installed systems and equipment as they have become analog; this is necessary to meet up with international best practice in the ever-changing world of technology.
“Our government holds the Institute dearly and will do everything to making it the best technology institute in Nigeria, Africa and indeed the entire world,” he said.
He added that four professors from Korea had been deployed to the Institution for one week to assess the needs and requirements of the institute.
In her remark, Kogi Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, commended the Ambassador for the visit and his effort to reposition the institute, stressing that the institute was set to revolutionise technology in Kogi.
Osikoya noted that the National Board For Technical Education (NBTE) recently visited the Institution and had granted full accreditation to the Institution thereby making it a full-fledged tertiary institution in the country.
She appealed to the Ambassador for the construction of Hostel facilities for students’ accommodation, even though the initial plan did not conceive the provision of hostel accommodation.
She said that the NBTE had also given accreditation to the state’s four Technical colleges and the establishment of Federal Technical and Science College in the state, saying it would serve as a pool of those seeking admission into the School.
Osikoya assured the Ambassador and his envoy of their safety, stressing that Gov. Yahaya Bello had put adequate measures in place for their smooth stay in Kogi.
The commissioner further commended the governor for his support and political will to transform the education sector in the state.
She, therefore, urged parents to avail their children and wards of the opportunity to enroll at the institute to be equipped for employment both locally and internationally.
The Rector of the institute, Mr Gabriel Okewu, commended the Kogi and Korean Governments for their unflinching support for the institute.
He called on the youths to enroll at the institute to be trained in various field of technologies.
According to Okewu, NKFI under the management of Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), was built and commissioned by the immediate past administration in 2015 and got full accreditation of its programmes in 2018.