Fides Media Living the Faith
By Daruwana Daku
The Rector of St John Innovation Institute of Management and Technology, JIMATECH, Rev. Fr Raymond Umennajiuba has expressed the institution’s readiness to welcome the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, in to the institute for accreditation of programs.
The rector who made the assurance during the exhibition of their graduands at the institute’s environment in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday, October 14, maintained that the institute had come a long way to be incorporated with the activities of NBTE and enjoy every academic excellence that regulatory body will bring to the table.
The rector who responded to the call of the director of NBTE, South-East Zone, Engr. Ngozi Okelekwe on the need for National Curriculum inclusion in the learning and training of the students, noted that the NBTE were invited in the same aim to assess the performances of the students and see for themselves, what the level of knowledge and skills imbedded in the student.
‘I invited the NBTE staff to see what we are doing. And they were impressed with what they have seen, and have arranged for their official visit to start the process of the accreditation immediately,’ the rector noted.
Mrs. Okelekwe noted that the school’s purview is within technical and vocational education and that the level of coverage and duration was important for the school academic excellence.
She added that even though what JIMATECH was doing couldn’t be stopped; there is a need for inclusion of National Curriculum since they were looking at skill and academic qualification.
‘The duration of the program goes a long way to know if it comes under our purview. The curriculum matters a lot because what they use to teach the student determines the duration to know if it comes under our purview
‘For us, we are looking at skill and qualification. A lot depends on the duration they are using and they must have a National Curriculum’, the directress noted.
Speaking on the advantages of having JIMATECH accredited with the regulatory body, the directress noted academic progression and recognition for employment were part of the advantages that students would gain if accredited.
For his part, the chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, Rev. Fr Charles Ndubisi who noted on the integral formation of what JIMATECH had stood for, added that the church had breaded intellectuals with morality. This was even as he added that the call for National Curriculum in the teaching and learning in JIMATECH was welcomed and noted that integrating National Curriculum as called by the NBTE wouldn’t be a challenge.
Fides gathered that JIMATECH is a technical and vocational training institute established in 1989 with five departments which included: Hospitality and Tourism, Software Engineering, Fashion Design, Event Planning and Decoration, and Cosmetology.
The rector while speaking with Fides also added that departmental expansion amongst other things were part of the merits for accreditation.