The Government Technical College (GTC), Enugu, is strengthening its practical education programmes as part of efforts to equip students with technical, vocational and entrepreneurial abilities capable of opening doors to employment and independent livelihoods.
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The Principal of the institution, Mr. Christopher Isife, disclosed this during an inspection of the college’s facilities in Enugu, where he highlighted the institution’s growing emphasis on hands-on learning and commercial production.
According to Isife, students are no longer confined to conventional classroom instruction. They are actively participating in production projects, including the manufacture of uniforms for 268 smart schools, as well as other garments such as clothing for bus crews.
He explained that the production exercises serve a dual purpose: they sharpen students’ technical competence while acquainting them with the realities of commercial enterprise. Clients who commission work from the college pay for completed projects, giving students an opportunity to witness how professional assignments are handled from design through delivery.
The principal noted that the college is also working to meet production deadlines while drawing on the expertise and participation of students, staff, former students and external partners.
A significant component of the institution’s transformation is its investment in modern technology. High-tech computers have been installed to support computer-aided design, allowing students to conceptualise, refine and perfect designs before translating them into finished products.
Isife said the development forms part of the Enugu State Government’s broader effort to reposition technical and vocational education as a viable avenue through which young people can acquire practical competencies relevant to the contemporary economy.
He added that the approach is being extended to other technical education institutions across the state, including newly established schools.
Admission into the programme, he disclosed, involves an entrance examination conducted in collaboration with the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB). The programme runs for three years, after which successful students receive multiple qualifications, including NABTEB certificates and relevant craft certificates.
Beyond tailoring and design, the college has broadened its practical curriculum to include hospitality training. Students are exposed to hotel management, catering, reception duties, dining arrangements and other operational aspects of the hospitality sector.
Isife said the hospitality facilities were deliberately designed to resemble the working environment of standard hotels, enabling students to acquire experience in guest reception, table arrangement and service delivery rather than relying solely on theoretical instruction.
He described the institution’s current transformation as a marked departure from its former condition, stressing that the upgraded facilities are intended to produce graduates whose abilities correspond with the demands of the modern workplace.
The principal further affirmed that Government Technical College, Enugu, would continue working with government authorities, industry partners, alumni and other stakeholders to broaden its training programmes and increase its production capacity.
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