NBTE CALLS ON TETFUND TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDS TO POLYTECHNICS THAN UNIVERSITIES TO BRIDGE SKILLS DEFICIENCY GAP 24-10-23
By Sadiq Aminu National Board for Technical Education NBTE has called on the Tertiary Education Trust Fund TETfund to allocate more funds to Polytechnics than Universities to bridge the gap of skills deficiency amongst graduates for the nation economy development.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Professor Idris M.Bugaje, made the call at the Northwest zone National Workshop on the reviewed entrepreneurship and skills development curricular for entrepreneurship educators in Nigerian Polytechnics and similar institutions held in Kaduna.
Professor Bugaje represented by his Special Assistant, Dr Ibrahim Bello Bashir said for every Engineer produced by a university, he requires at least five technologists, 10 technicians and 20 artisans in executing projects.
According to him, the artisans and technologists are products of Polytechnics, he therefore calls for reverse in funding process by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) to pump more funds into Polytechnics.
He pointed out that, some countries around the World are converting Universities to Polytechnics and wondered why in Nigeria some people are advocating for Polytechnics to be converted to Universities.
Professor Idris Bugaje advocated for 60% of Universities in Nigeria to be converted to Polytechnics which he described it as the right step in the right direction for Skill development.
He emphasized the need for Nigerians to accord more priority in promoting Skills and not theories.
“Our people are always thinking of migrating to Europe and Asia, some through deadly routes. If those people are well skilled with the necessary certification, they will be given red carpet reception in where ever they go to”
According to him, NBTE mantra now is Skills not Degrees, stressing that, Skills has became the important currency of the World today.
“Without skills, one is likely not going to fit into the contemporary competitive world. Skills is now the most important global currency of the world”
He explained that the NBTE’s advocacy on skills was not in any way discouraging to acquisition of degrees, but it should be complemented by skills.
Speaking on the workshop, the Executive Secretary noted that the present curriculum being administers to students in the Polytechnics was developed in 2007, adding that, there has been alot of changes over the years, where the mantra of the NBTE is centred on skills and not degrees.
Earlier, the NBTE’s Director, Curriculum Development Department, Dr Musa Koko said the workshop was to bring the lecturers attention of the new approach to entrepreneurship delivery in TVET institutions”
Dr Koko explained that, the review has addressed the content, pedagogy and the practical requirement in terms of
skills and trades as well as award and certification of graduands.
According to him, the curriculum development was aimed at improving programme delivery and graduates improvement towards self-reliant after graduation including HND students.
“The Board under Prof Bugaje has rolled out a decislve policy direction aimed primarily to address TVET position in skills delivery which include the review of all aging curricula in all the
programmes andespecially the EEd,”he said.
Dr Koko also stressed that, the reviewed of the curriculum was necessitated because of the time and the need to reinvigorate the spirit of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship for all TVET Institutions and its graduates.
He however, stressed that presently, the focus is widened because the number of Instructors and lecturers targeted is nearly 4000, where the North Central alone has about 400 by estimate.
Dr Musa Koko gave an assurance that, the new curriculum will come on board before the end of this year.
The Director urged the participants to grant the workshop the necessary attention it deserved.
Africa 247 reports that, the entrepreneurship workshop was in conjunction with Danglo Management and Financial Limited and sponsored by TETfund while the theme of the workshop was ‘New approach to entrepreneurship curricular delivery”
Rectors of various Polytechnics from the North west, Senior Lecturers and other stakeholders have attended the workshop.