The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to repositioning Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a key driver of Nigeria’s industrialisation, economic competitiveness and youth empowerment with the inauguration of the Governing Board of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Inaugurating the board in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the development marks another milestone in the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places education and human capital development at the centre of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
According to the minister, the administration is deliberately shifting the nation’s education system from an overdependence on paper qualifications to producing competent, innovative and highly skilled graduates capable of driving industrialisation, entrepreneurship and national productivity.
Alausa congratulated the chairman and members of the board on their appointments, describing their selection as recognition of their professionalism, integrity and commitment to national service.
He expressed confidence that the board would provide the strategic leadership needed to strengthen NBTE’s mandate, deepen reforms in technical education and support the Federal Government’s vision of building a globally competitive workforce.
The minister stressed that Technical and Vocational Education and Training is no longer an alternative pathway to university education but a strategic national priority.
He noted that meaningful industrialisation cannot be achieved without skilled technicians, technologists, artisans, fabricators, automation specialists, machine operators and other professionals.
According to him, the Federal Government has prioritised the sector through sustained investments and reforms aimed at bridging the gap between education and industry while equipping learners in technical colleges, polytechnics, colleges of education and universities with practical skills for employment, entrepreneurship and global competitiveness.
Alausa outlined four key priorities for the newly inaugurated board, urging members to provide strategic leadership, sound policy direction and effective oversight while allowing the Executive Secretary and management team to handle the day-to-day administration of the board.
He also directed the board to accelerate the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework in collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and other stakeholders to formally recognise and certify the competencies of skilled artisans under the National Skills Qualification Framework.
The minister said the initiative would improve employability, expand access to finance, create opportunities for government contracts and strengthen labour mobility within the ECOWAS region.
On curriculum reform, Alausa called for the adoption of Outcome-Based Education, with programmes reflecting the realities of Industry 4.0 through the integration of digital technologies, automation, artificial intelligence, green technologies and advanced manufacturing systems.
He also urged institutions under NBTE’s regulatory oversight to strengthen their focus on applied sciences, engineering, technology and innovation while encouraging polytechnics to gradually phase out non-technical programmes outside their statutory mandate.
The minister further emphasised the importance of fiscal discipline, transparency and accountability, directing the board to ensure that public resources, intervention funds, research initiatives and institutional investments translate into measurable improvements in skills acquisition, youth employment and national productivity.
Responding on behalf of the board, its Chairman, Prof. Babatunde L. Salako, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Education for the confidence reposed in the members.
He described the inauguration as the beginning of a new chapter for technical education in Nigeria and pledged the board’s support for the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s TVET reform initiatives.
Salako also identified changing the long-held perception of technical education as a second-choice option as one of the board’s key responsibilities.
He stressed the need for sustained public enlightenment to encourage parents, students and the wider society to embrace TVET as a respected pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and national development.
Delivering the vote of thanks, the Executive Secretary of NBTE and Secretary to the Governing Board, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, expressed appreciation to the minister for inaugurating the board after more than five years without one.
He described the development as a landmark achievement and assured the minister of the board’s commitment to supporting the successful implementation of the Federal Government’s TVET transformation agenda.
Formally inaugurating the board on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alausa wished the chairman and members a successful tenure marked by wisdom, integrity and purposeful service.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a catalyst for industrialisation, innovation and sustainable economic growth, assuring Nigerians that the Ministry of Education would continue working with the board to expand access to quality skills training, strengthen regulatory standards and build a globally competitive workforce equipped for the demands of a modern economy.
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