May 4, 2023

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) will stop accreditation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions with no skill acquisition centre, its Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje has said.

Buhaje said this in Ibadan, at the resource accreditation visit for 10 new programmes being introduced by the Polytechnic Ibadan.

Bugaje, who was represented by the NBTE Director of Polytechnic Programmes, Mr. Ngbede Ogoh, said that skills acquisition centre was critical to the training of youths to fit into the modern economy.

He said that the priority and focus of the board had changed to developing skills among Nigerian youths to make them relevant to the current global trend and development.

“The NBTE has shifted its focus to skills and not just degrees with a view to transform the TVET sector into producing graduates who can fit into the modern economy.

“You can have multiple degrees, but without skills – soft or hard, you are not going to go anywhere in the world.

“The currency for development of any nation currently is the skills that the youth or the citizens possess,” he stressed.

The NBTE boss said that the board has recognised the importance of skills for national development, adding that TVET institutions must key-in to the promotion of skills not degrees.

In his remarks, the Rector of the polytechnic, Prof. Kareem Adebiyi, said the institution introduced the new programmes to fit into the current development trend.

Adebiyi identified some of the new programmes as materials and metallurgical engineering, petroleum engineering, chemical engineering, food technology, pharmaceutical technology, taxation, tourism, and photography.

According to him, the new programmes were introduced to expand access to skills-based programmes to meet the current demand by the labour market.

“We are trying to ensure that the polytechnic offers programmes that are relevant to the developmental needs of our dear nation,” the rector said. (NAN)