THE Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, has approved a facility to train technicians in the architecture field.
The school, located in the serenity of Kuje in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, will be known as School of Architectural Technicians (SAT).
The school will among other things provide high-quality education and hands-on training in architectural technology while enhancing capacity development in the built environment, preparing skilled technicians ready to contribute to Nigeria’s growing architectural and construction sectors.
Conducting members of the council around the facility recently, ARCON President, Chief Oladipupo Ajayi, an architect, lauded Dangiwa’s gesture towards lifting architecture and the built environment.
“This facility has been here. Those who have following the pronouncements of our supervising minister will agree with me that he is passionate to curb building collapse in Nigeria.
“And being a professional in the built environment, he is desirous of enhancing the sector. Hence, he graciously allotted this place to us to further train and retrain architectural technicians, architects and related professionals in the building industry,” Ajayi said.
According to him, the council will establish a curriculum that meets industry standards regulated by ARCON and offers skill acquisition in the built environment.
Ajayi, who noted that the facility can enroll 200 students in the first academic year, said it had commenced talks with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for needed accreditation and certification.
According to him, the centre will boost professional development (CPD) programmes for industry practitioners.
The president, who said that the centre aligns with its core responsibility of determining what standards of knowledge and skills persons seeking to become members of the architectural profession need to attain, added this approval could not have come at a better time than now.
Ajayi, who added that the centre will aid its role of raising the standards from time to time as, said Nigeria’s urbanization and infrastructure development create a significant demand for skilled architectural technicians.
Facilities available in the centre include offices, classrooms and workshops, seminar rooms, hostels for accommodation, a restaurant serving students and guests, power house with generator, furniture and office equipment among others.
Programmes to be offered include diploma in architectural technology, certificate programs in Building Information Modeling (BIM), project management, sustainable architecture, and construction management.
There will also be short courses in hard skill acquisition like masonry, plumbing, and electrical installations, tilling, POP installations among others.
The council’s registrar, SuleUtopa said, the school became necessary as the industry goes through constant and increasing changes in construction technology.
A council member, Arc. (Prof.) Sati Yohana, who expressed delight over the centre, commended Dangiwa for his resolve to enhance architecture with the centre.
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