The Cross River State Government has entered into partnership with Highbury College in Portsmouth, United Kingdom to design a demand-driven curriculum for the state polytechnic, which is billed to take-off in October.

The curriculum would ensure that graduates of the polytechnic are employable.

Speaking at a Conference on World-Class TVET Eco-system Project in Cross River State in Calabar, Governor Liyel Imoke disclosed that the state was partnering the college because it is the best vocational institution in the United Kingdom.

Imoke described as unacceptable, a situation where Nigerian universities churn out graduates, who were not employable.

He noted that over the years the quality of education in the country had dropped, adding that in order to address the shortfall in the sector the state took the step of partnering with the Highbury College.

Imoke remarked that government would not compromise on merit concerning the appointment of principal officers of the institution as to do so will be unhelpful to the cause of revamping the education sector.

He said, “The reforms in the education sector is yielding result and there is need for us to work harder to better the result going forward”, adding that, “we want to sustain the partnership and build on it, because the focus is to ensure Cross River State graduates are employable to make a difference in the economy.”

The Principal and Chief Executive of Highbury College, Mrs. Stella Mbubaegbu, who commended Imoke for his commitment to the development of the education sector, described the partnership as a new dawn that will make the difference in sector.

Mbubaegbu said the world is growing and is at the age of entrepreneurship and that the curriculum of the polytechnic will be designed to intertwine technical and vocation education training to boast entrepreneurship development.

The state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Offiong Offiong, disclosed that the objective of the conference was to interact with stakeholders in the public and private sectors in creating a world-class TVET Eco-system based on market driven curriculum and accreditation.

The aim is to enable young people to own their businesses.