88,000 candidates sit for NABTEB as FG says technical, vocational education way out of unemployment

Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education

At least, 88,000 candidates are sitting for the ongoing 2022 National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) certificate examination nationwide.

This is just as the Federal Government has expressed commitment toward the development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), saying this remains the only way out of the current high level of unemployment in the country.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, and the Registrar and Chief Executive of NABTEB, Professor Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe, spokein Abuja on Thursday, while monitoring the 2022 NABTEB examinations in Federal Government College, Orozo and Government Technical College, Garki, Abuja.

Isiugo-Abanihe, said the Board since 2018 has been recording an increase in the number of candidates sitting for the examination, adding that the surge began in 2015 when the Board first recorded 55000 enrollments for the examination while it increases steadily to 83000 in 2018.

She disclosed that for the 2022 examination, about 88,000 candidates applied to sit for the NABTEB examination nationwide.

“This year, we have a significant increase in the enrollment and we have 88,000 candidates. In the past five years, it’s been increasing every year.

“Starting from 2018, it was about 55,000 candidates, but this year you can see that it is 88,000 and last year was 83,000 plus so there has been a steady increase in enrollment and I think it is because of the realisation that TVET is the way to go.

“In the world today there is a need for skills acquisition, there is need for empowerment skills, self-reliance, and it is at the bottom of development and that is why there’s now a realisation that is a very, very crucial aspect of education,” she added.

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary and Director Human Resources, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr David Gende, lamented the high unemployment rate, saying TVET remains the only way out of the current high level of unemployment in the country.

Adamu also urged Nigerians to stop demeaning NABTEB Certificate noting that not everybody must be a University graduate in Nigeria to succeed.

He insisted that skills acquisition is what the government is promoting hence the need to prepare for a skilled workforce to take over the Nigerian business and technical workspace.

“People need to stop demeaning this very certificate so that people can pick up the skills that are required. we need to stop those who are taking over our space. You know if those spaces were available, the young ones who cannot continue after this level, at least have some skills to carry on and take over the space.”

He further said the government is currently directing students towards the sector as an option for those who cannot fit into the formal sector.

“That is the way to go. And that’s where we are directing our students to go those who cannot fit into other professional areas of their college. There are other sound options that we know are acceptable anywhere, and it’s even contributing greater to the development of our country.”

Speaking on his observation on the ongoing NABTEB exams, the Minister said the students were encouraged to promote the culture of excellence so as to be able to defend their certificates.

“We are promoting the culture of excellence. Excellence doesn’t mean you must be the best, excellence simply means you can defend whatever you present anywhere and that was all that we want to see our students imbibe because the future is going to be tougher than what we are witnessing today.”

“The stage is bigger and they will be competing against others in other spheres of the world. So they should be able to start preparing themselves from now on. Preparing yourself simply means pushing yourself very hard so that you do your best. Whatever comes out, you should be able to defend it and present it for whatever wherever.”

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