FORMATION AND HISTORY OF BENIN TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, BENIN CITY
In the early 70’s in the era of sustained foreign aid and scholarships events led to the idea of
In the early 70’s in the era of sustained Foreign Aid and Scholarships, wind of events led to the idea of
creating a Technical College in Benin City modelled after the fledging Government Trade Centre (‘GTC’) Sapele in the midwestern state of Nigeria. A Canadian national and incidentally the principal of
(“GTC”) Sapele in the Midwestern State of Nigeria. A Canadian national and incidentally the principal of
GTC in 1969, Mr. G.S Sutherland was open in his ideas and freely discussed with staff of the college. What started as a rumor that the Government of Canada was interested in building, equipping and training staff for the college gained ground when a Canadian national Mr. Otto Kinsep visited GTC in April 1970 as guest of Mr. Sutherland. He was introduced to all as “Planner and Designer”, and undertook a tour of facilities of GTC for two days. Shortly after he left, a senior Instructor in GTC Mr. F.I. Okodugha, was offered a scholarship to proceed for training in Canada and he departed August 1970. In quick succession, three instructors, Mr. Ehiwe, Mr. Edokpayi and Mr. Pogoson were also awarded scholarships and departed to Canada in September 1970. Others subsequently joined at the expense of the government.
In 1972 construction work on Benin Technical High School commenced. This was executed and completed in 1973 by a Canadian building contractor. By this time, persons from GTC Sapele who had left for Canada returned and were posted to Benin Technical High School. Mr. Okodugha resumed as Principal. Some civil servants who had joined in Canada upon resumption at the Ministry got posted to BTHS as teachers.
Mr. Sutherland of GTC had departed for Canada in 1972 and returned to Nigeria accompanied by four Canadians. He was appointed Administrator awaiting the opening and commencement of the school. The school was now named Benin Technical College. Construction was of high quality with beautiful buildings. The school Administration block was air-conditioned including Staff office in the Vocational/Business Education section of the school. All Laboratories – Sciences, Audio-visual, Home Economic, Food lab and others were fully equipped and furnished. The workshops, Auto-mechanics, Electrical Electronics, Welding, Fabrication, Woodwork, were not left out of adequate and quality equipment. The classrooms had individual writing desks and rugged plastic chairs of different colors in
different classroom. The open hall called Assembly Hall had a built-up stage for ‘shows’ with colored stage lighting and motorized drop-down screen for projected cinema viewing. The school had a large “Material Store” where extra tools, equipment and furniture were stored and it was manned by a Canadian by name Mr. Lartta.
The school administration took a decision to ‘phase-in’ equipment and tools and in doing so, vocational students were first given admission through entrance exams and for a one-year duration. In 1974, admission of students via entrance examination was conducted and one hundred and twenty young students (120) were admitted assigned into five classrooms of twenty-four (24) students each. Full teaching and learning commenced September 1974.
Benin Technical College became a tourist attraction as parents, wards and an inquisitive public visited to see for themselves and appreciated the structure and facilities on campus. The Ministry of Works tarred the road leading from the college to the Lagos/Benin Highway opening up local communities to rapid development. Benin Technical College became a hub of vocational and technical education serving the immediate community and beyond and churned out high quality graduates who were employed by industries all around the country. Over the next four decades, the school lost its shine and glory due to apathy and redirection of priorities by successive governments and political leadership nationwide.
It is heartwarming to note however that the current administration of Edo state led by the governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki has commenced critical intervention works on Benin Technical College to resuscitate it to an institution of repute. We wish him success in this noble task.
HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA CHAPTER
The concept of Old Students Association began in 2011from friends who reside in New-York and New Jersey metropolis of the United States. The main reason for the group include but not limited to how we can give back to the school and find ways to help one another. The group met monthly for regular meeting, and the venue of the meeting was rotated among members residence. The group’s name BENIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE ALUMNI was registered in New Jersey in 2012 as a Non profit organization.
Within months of formation and deliberation of the body, interest of the new body was shown from different part of the United States and Canada from alumni of the school who wanted to be part of giving back to our alma-mater, hence a new body was formed to accommodate all Old Students in North America. (Canada & United States).
Today, this new group is registered and known as Benin Technical College Old Students Association North America Chapter (BETECOSA-NAC), A NJ nonprofit 501c Organization. Our members are drawn from the United States of America and Canada, the mode of meeting is through conference calls to facilitate everyone to join remotely and we have contact information of more than 100 Old Students of Benin Technical College in North America.
We, in the North America Chapter of BETECOSA held the first ever re-union, celebration and fund-raiser in October, 2016 in New Jersey, United States. The event was quite successful and was attended by about thirty-five Alumni from the different parts of the United States, Canada, Europe and Nigeria chapters
Our achievement so far is immeasurable, the North America Chapter was instrumental in the founding of the National Body, one of our goals is to give back to our alma-mater, our members and the North America Chapter donated Chairs and Desk worth Thousands of Naira, The North America Chapter is paying salaries of Mathematics and (Sciences) Teachers for as long as needed and until they seek employment with the Ministry of Education. The work is on- going, we look forward to partnering with individuals or Chapters on any project.