A technical college is only as strong as the teacher standing before the workshop. Long before students learn to wire electrical systems, fabricate metal, repair engines or operate modern machines, someone must first know how to teach those skills effectively. That reality is now shaping Nigeria’s latest effort to rebuild technical and vocational education.
The Federal Government, in partnership with Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education Services, has launched an intensive capacity-building programme aimed at equipping Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) instructors with modern teaching and assessment skills.
The initiative, known as the Train the Trainers (Pedagogy & Assessment) Programme, is a 10-day training jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the Institute of Education, Singapore.
The programme is being implemented in two phases, with the first cohort of 60 federal and state TVET teachers currently undergoing training in Abuja, while another 60 participants will receive similar training in Lagos.
Speaking with journalists, the National Coordinator of Special Programmes in the Office of the Minister of Education, Adebayo Onigbanjo, said the programme is designed to strengthen the capacity of instructors, who will in turn train other teachers through a cascading model.
According to him, the approach will enable the new teaching methods to spread across technical colleges nationwide, ultimately improving learning outcomes for thousands of students.
He explained that the initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to reposition technical education as a major driver of employment, industrialisation and economic growth.
“We are working with the Institute of Technical Education Services in Singapore to develop capacity for TVET in Nigeria. This training focuses on pedagogy and assessment, equipping teachers with the best methods for technical instruction,” Onigbanjo said.
He disclosed that more than 1.3 million Nigerians registered for technical skills training when the government’s TVET initiative was introduced last year, making it necessary to rapidly increase the number of competent instructors.
“We need more trainers. Those being trained today will return to their schools and train their colleagues, allowing us to scale up capacity across the country,” he added.
Technical Assistant to the Minister of Education on TVET, Dr Nabila Mohamed, said the programme seeks to transform technical education by replacing largely theory-based instruction with competency-based practical learning.
She explained that participants are being introduced to teaching methods that place greater emphasis on practical demonstrations, workplace skills and continuous assessment.
“The biggest takeaway is making training competency-based. Rather than focusing mainly on theory, teachers will integrate practical skills that prepare students for employment while learning effective methods of delivering those skills,” she said.
Also speaking, Manager of the Academic Pedagogy Programme at Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education Services, Choo Poh Lian, said the training focuses on improving how teachers teach practical skills rather than teaching specific trades.
She noted that participants are learning demonstration techniques, student engagement strategies, constructive feedback methods and performance-based assessment aligned with industry standards.
“We are sharing how Singapore teaches practical skills so that graduates become workplace-ready. We are focusing on pedagogy—how teachers demonstrate, guide students through practical tasks, provide constructive feedback and assess competencies based on ind…
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