From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has begun its Graduate Coaching Training Scheme (GCTS) for admission seekers across all the three senatorial districts of Kebbi State.
The scheme, which was approved by the Director General of NDE, Alhaji Abubakar Fikpo, is designed to train secondary school students planning to seat for the JAMB, WAEC and NECO examinations.
Kebbi State NDE Coordinator Mr Ambianto Amos Francis, who confirmed this while briefing newsmen about the scheme, disclosed that the agency has engaged Teachers with Bachelor Degrees in Education for the coaching which will last for three months across the three senatorial districts of the state, free of charged.
According to him,” the DG of NDE, Abubakar Fikpo, has approved the commencement of the training of Nigerians who are preparing for their examinations in JAMB, WAEC and NECO that they should be receiving special coaching under the scheme known as Graduates Coaching Training of under Special Public Works Department of NDE.
“The essence of the scheme is to train these secondary schools level students to enhance their performances in the NECO, WAEC and JAMB examinations. This training is for a period of three months, which we started in February 2023 and the teachers to be tutoring them are holders of Bachelor’s Degrees from various universities.
“And the Federal Government are to pay these teachers for training our students their allowances and the three months coaching is free,” he said.
Francis disclosed that the coaching centres are to take place in Magajin-Gari Primary school, Birnin Kebbi for Kebbi Central senatorial district, Kanta School, Argungu for Kebbi North Senatorial district and Technical College Zuru, for Kebbi South Senatorial district.
He explained that the agency had written to the Kebbi State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education which gave them the approval to use these schools for the coaching.
“Therefore, we want many students to come forward for these three months because it is free and it is for their future and career. What we want to achieve is improvement in the performances our these students. We have syllabus given to us to be followed and we have supervisors in all these centres who would be monitoring the exercise on daily basis.
“We are aware that many parents spend a lot for extramural coaching for their children who are preparing for JAMB, WAEC and NECO examinations. So, this NDE coaching is free and it is for their own good. They should encourage their children to come out en mass to receive the coaching because we don’t have restrictions on the number of the participants,” he added.
While speaking with newsmen at MagajinGari Primary school, Tundu Wada, Birnin Kebbi, Abdulraheem Ahmed Kadanho, a student at the centre said since the lecture started he has gained new knowledge outside his normal school periods, stressed that it would go along way to broaden his academic and prepared him ahead of SSCE examination and JAMB.
Miss Zara’u Habibu Kane also commended the agency for organising the coaching for them free of charge, stressing that it was an opportunity for many of them to acquire additional knowledge ahead of WAEC, NECO and JAMB examinations.
In her remarks, another student at the centre Rabia Haliru Wala explained that she has gained a lot since the exercise kicked off and stressed that other students should come over to the coaching centre instead of being idle after school hours.