…Sponsors 33 graduates to study maritime courses
The Taraba state government is currently sponsoring 33 youths with bachelor degrees and Higher National Diploma (HND) from the state to acquire knowledge from the maritime sector.
The youths are currently offering a year programme from the foremost maritime institution in areas of shipping management, nautical sciences and marine engineering.
Speaking with journalists on recently during a school’s end of year party and passing in out parade, the Rector ,Dr. Jim Ovai said that the government of the state found it worthy to train its citizen in maritime studies; saying that it is a good initiative from a northern state to foresee the potentials in the maritime sector.
“For now we have a total of 33 contingents from Taraba state to be precise and they are undergoing maritime courses. They are Bsc and HND holders from the state ”
Ovia said that for the government to summon the courage to have train its citizens understands vividly what the maritime potentials can offer stressing that the recognition and awareness on maritime educations is fast spreading to the north.
According to him, the initiative was quite commendable and laudable noting that the idea of the government to send its youth for maritime training was paramount.
He called on other states in the six geo political zones of the country to emulate what the Taraba State government has done for the citizens adding that there some areas in the maritime sector that are still untapped.
Ovia stated that the institution does not guarantee job placement for its students after graduation because it is an academy setting but pointed out that with government support jobs available won’t be a problem.
The Rector further reiterated that “politics or no politics in that state, the fact remains that such initiative cannot be overlooked and if a new government takes over today in that state I believe is a very good idea and it calls for continuity”.
He added that as a good step for a state like Taraba to train its own; other state will also want to take the advantage to train its students as well.
“My major concern is that for a state to have the faith in private maritime institution like Stars Maritime Academy instead of clamouring for foreign institutions, thereby siphoning our scarce resources shows how prudent the government of the state is”
Commending the students from Taraba State, Ovai said that the youths are grateful to the state government on what they have been taught by the school in the last two months when the programmes have commenced.
He revealed that the 33 students just concluded a week sea school training and that it is an added advantage over graduate with just BSc and HND from the state and Nigeria in general because of the additional qualification in maritime courses.
The SMA boss opined that the initiative will make the students more professional inclined when compared to graduate with first degree certificate.
Furthermore, Ovai disclosed that SMA has reached an agreement with a foreign maritime school in Croatia to train its students up to BSc. level even as he called on Nigerians to take the advantage.
