Students tasked on embracing culinary skills in FCT

By Stanley Onyekwere

Students in secondary school across the FCT have been asked to adopt culinary skills, as part of vocational skills that can help them become self reliant in the future.
Thus charge, was handed down by founder, Dine and Pack Culinary Training Centre, Chef Aishatu Gamalia, at the weekend on the sideline of the 2023 Interschool Cooking Competition.
Gamalia, popularly known as Chef Mimi, opined that learning a skill had become necessary given the harsh economic reality in the country, where white collar jobs are no longer readily available.
She however, cautioned parents and guardians of the dangers of failing to equip their children with skills, as according to her, the 21st century requires young people with vocational skill and not just paper qualifications.
She said the essence of the competition, which is its second edition, was conceptualised to introduce students in the various schools in the FCT, to vocational skill, through cooking.
“My passion for cooking triggered this. I’m passionate about teaching children how to cook. We have the mini-chef competition where children from five years cook on stages like this.
“For me, it’s about creating awareness that you have to be equipped with a skill no matter what it is. It can be cooking, tailoring, hair dressing, we just have to be equipped with a skill in our hands because the world is shifting from the regular nine to five, to what you can really do with your hands. For me, I believe what you can do with you hands, no one can take that away from you”, Chef Mimi stressed.
lso speaking, Founder of Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Abuja, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, applauded the organisers for the initiative, which according to her, brings young minds together to enhance their culinary skills.
who was Represented by Damaris Yakubu, Foundation’s Programme officer, Ahmadu said such a competition is capable of redirecting and refocusing young minds.
She adds: “I will advise these young children to see this beyond being a competition, but rather an opportunity to showcase their skills and do much more wherever they find themselves.”
Our correspondent reports that the competition, organisers say have created more awareness among young Nigerians, with more students signing up for home economics in their various schools.
Four schools, including Model Secondary School, Maitama, Government Girls Secondary School Dutse, Government Secondary School, Kubwa and Command Day Secondary School, participated in the 2023 edition of the competition with students displaying their culinary skills at various stages of the competition.
At the end of the competition, GSS kubwa took first position, 2nd went to Government Girls’ Dutse, with 3rd spot taken by Model Secondary School whereas Command Day Secondary School occupied the 4th place.
Also, the winning school went home with N300,000 cash price, school shoes for the students, while the runner up went with N200,000.