Reps pledge support for polytechnic, technical education

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The House of Representatives has pledged to support the development of technical education and shore up skills required to ensure the developmental growth of the country.

Chairman, House Committee on Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda, gave the assurance while addressing NBTE Executive Secretary, Professor Idris Bugaje, during the oversight of the National Board for Technical Education in Kaduna State.

He explained that the oversight of NBTE as a regulatory institution for all the polytechnics and higher technical education operating across the country became necessary ahead of the next budget cycle with a view to ensuring adequate funding.

“Our being here today is in carrying out our statutory obligation of oversight and the NBTE, known for what it is, the mother of all federal polytechnics and others, we thought it was right for us to be here before we start going around the polytechnics before the end of the year and before we start a new budget cycle.

“And I believe the document that has been presented to us is fully detailed and has a lot of information that you could be rest assured that we are going to go through and definitely revert back to you on it,” he said.

He lauded the NBTE for a job well done despite the various challenges it was facing but urged that more still needs to be done.

He said it was necessary to consider the level at which vocational studies and skills acquisition should go and called for a detailed plan to develop them.

“I think it’s time that we’re considering the level in which vocational studies and skill acquisition want to go next. I think we should get ourselves prepared. We shouldn’t let anything take us by surprise. So, I think a plan that would probably have short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals should be brought up by you,” he said.

In his remarks, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Danladi Aguye, said it was unfortunate that while Europe and China are converting their universities to polytechnics, Nigeria is converting its polytechnics to universities.

While underscoring the importance of polytechnics for skill development for youths, he assured that all the challenges identified would be addressed.

To this end, Hon. Aguye called for a close working relationship with the committee, as he also promised to work ahead of the budget and see how funding can be improved.

A member, Hon. Akinlayo Kolawole, stressed the need for skills development, saying it was better than offering palliatives to the people to improve their welfare.

“Palliative does not bring relief. If they have skills, they should be able to put food on the table. The keynote for me to put food on the table was skills development. So I think the agency needs to partner with the committee,” he said.

Earlier in his presentation, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Professor Idris Bugaje, expressed some of the challenges facing the Board, which include inadequate staff strength, regional offices, poor funding, and sources of IGR, among others.

Some of the challenges of existing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Nigeria include the inability to review ND/HND curricula within the five-year time frame due to poor funding; the development of curricula that are supply-driven instead of demand-driven; the lack of modern tools and equipment and the use of obsolete equipment in TVET institutions; the stigmatisation of TVET graduates, including HND, as being inferior; and the absence of the Polytechnic Commission, he said.

“While we warmly welcome this Honourable Committee to the NBTE, we look forward to greater collaborations to move this sector forward.

“The struggle to upgrade NBTE to the National Polytechnic Commission has started; your support is indispensable in realising this dream.

“Improved funding of the NBTE (or NPC) is a low-hanging fruit, as it will ensure up-skilling Nigerian youths for local and global opportunities.

“We want the Committee to take the Zonal Offices as its baby, ensuring they are built and staff recruited to take the NBTE to the grassroots.

“Skills development being championed by the NBTE shall be the real and sustainable renewal of hope for the Nigerian youths, not palliatives. As such, NBTE/NPC must be empowered to be at the forefront of the renewed hope agenda of H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Professor Bugaje said.

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