NBTE, EHCON deepen collaboration to deliver robust curriculum in public health

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) have intensified efforts to finalise industry-driven Higher National Diploma (HND) curriculum which will address public health challenges.

The Director of Curriculum Development at the NBTE, Dr Oladipupo Bello, gave the assurance at a critique workshop for HND curriculum in food hygiene and safety, environmental health monitoring and surveillance and school health, in Kaduna.

He described the workshop as a milestone in strengthening the quality and responsiveness of technical education.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) disclosed that the final critique workshop, which began on March 29, will end today, April 3.

According to Bello, the curriculum development, which started in 2024, is almost completed and reflects a shared commitment to improving training standards in environmental health and related professions.

He said that the curriculum will shape the competencies and professional standards of future practitioners in addressing complex health and environmental challenges.

According to him, rising cases of foodborne illnesses, environmental hazards and school health concerns require well-trained professionals equipped with practical and globally-relevant knowledge.

Bello said that the workshop will enable stakeholders to review drafts, correct deficiencies and ensure that the programmes will be academically sound, inclusive and aligned with national priorities.

He praised EHCON for consistent support in developing and regulating programmes in public health, epidemiology and disease control.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the EHCON, Dr Yakubu Mohammed, described the session as a platform for expert review and constructive engagement.

He hoped that the exercise will refine the curriculum to meet national and international standards, while ensuring that graduates will be equipped with relevant and industry-based skills.

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Mohammed commended the participants and EHCON partners for commitment, saying that their contributions will significantly enrich the final outcomes of the programmes.

Declaring the workshop open, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Professor Idris Bugaje, highlighted the need to urgently strengthen Nigeria’s preventive healthcare system through targeted training programmes.

Bugaje, represented by the board’s Director of Nursing and Health Technology, Mr Salihu Ibrahim, said the curriculum was designed to address public health issues, particularly food safety, adding that increasing infections from contaminated food had remained a concern.

Bugaje said that preventive medicine offered a more cost-effective approach than curative care, especially in countries with limited healthcare funding such as Nigeria.

He noted that EHCON regulated multiple programmes at the National Diploma level, including public health and epidemiology, making it a key partner.

Bugaje said that the council’s broad regulatory scope positioned it as a leading stakeholder in advancing health-related technical education in the country.

He called for increased funding and sustained collaboration to unlock the potential of health and environmental training programmes nationwide.

Bugaje said that the expertise of the workshop resource persons will ensure the development of a robust curriculum that will have global relevance.

He expressed confidence that the final document will withstand the test of time and contribute significantly to national development and improved public health outcomes.