The Model Technical College, Oghareki, Delta State, is set for commissioning as 369 students have enrolled in the institution barely a week after resumption.
The Commissioner for Technical Education, Hon. Smart Ijeoma Ufoh, disclosed this on Sunday after inspecting the facilities at the college, saying 87 of the students were already in the hostel.
Ufoh said admission was still ongoing, with more students expected to enrol as parents continued to show interest in the institution.
He said 135 students had been admitted into JT1, 113 into JT2 and 121 into ST1, where students would begin more intensive practical training.
According to him, 19 students who previously attended the technical college at Omadino had also joined the Oghareki college following the takeover of the Omadino campus by the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun.
Ufoh said the college, which was about 30 per cent complete when Governor Sheriff Oborevwori assumed office, had now been equipped with modern workshops, laboratories, classrooms, hostels and other facilities.
He said the college was ready for commissioning and adding that the governor would fix a date for the ceremony.
“We are here to practically state facts and figures about Model Technical College, Oghareki. As at the point Sheriff was sworn in, this school was 30 per cent complete.
“Today is September 27, 2026, and I want to categorically state as follows: this school is ready for commissioning. All the classes have resumed,” Ufoh said.
The commissioner said the college had workshops for fabrication and welding, fashion and design, building and construction, motor mechanics, refrigeration and air-conditioning, auto electricity, auto body repair, ICT, solar installation, electrical installation, furniture and carpentry.
He added that Physics, Chemistry and Biology laboratories were also available.
Ufoh said the ICT workshop had more than 100 functional computers, with a dedicated solar power system, air-conditioning and CCTV cameras.
He said the building and construction workshop had equipment capable of producing 100 blocks in one hour, adding that the facilities were designed to give students practical skills.
On staffing, Ufoh said the college would require 133 teaching staff and 26 non-teaching staff to adequately run the institution.
He said the state government was already considering the manpower requirements, particularly the need for qualified professionals who could operate the specialised equipment and train the students.
Ufoh said the government also planned to expose students to industries through industrial training and partnerships to enable them to gain practical experience and prepare for employment or entrepreneurship.
“We are training students here to be employers of labour tomorrow,” he said.
The commissioner said the investment in technical education was expected to increase the number of skilled workers in the state, promote production and reduce unemployment.
He said students who acquired the necessary skills could establish their own workshops and businesses instead of depending solely on paid employment.
Ufoh said the government would also explore opportunities created by investors and partners attracted through the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit to provide industrial exposure for students.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Technical Education, Dr Anthony Okwunze, commended the state government for the infrastructure and equipment provided at the college.
Okwunze, however, noted that the current teaching workforce was limited and that more personnel would be required to make full use of the specialised workshops.
“The teaching staff we have in this place are just about 13, including the principal and the vice-principal. So, definitely, to be able to put these workshops into good and productive use, more teachers will have to come on board,” he said.
The permanent secretary also appealed for a bus for the college, saying it would assist in transporting students to trade fairs and other activities outside the school.
He said the location of the college, some distance from the town centre, made transportation important for students and staff.
Okwunze also commended the security arrangements at the college, including the perimeter fencing, barbed wire, security post and CCTV cameras.
Ufoh said the college had generated excitement in the Oghareki community, adding that some parents were already considering transferring their children from conventional secondary schools to the institution.
He said the 369 students who enrolled within the first week demonstrated the growing interest in the college.
The commissioner urged the students to obey the school’s rules, live peacefully with one another and protect the facilities provided by the government.
He also encouraged them to take advantage of the practical training and modern equipment to acquire skills that could make them self-reliant after graduation.
