Reps move to establish vocational, skills training centres nationwide

…Pledge Commitment to Transforming Vocational, Technical, and Entrepreneurship Education

By Gift Chapi-Odekina, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee connected Alternative Education has held a one-day nationalist proceeding connected 4 bills seeking to found vocational and skills acquisition grooming centres crossed antithetic parts of Nigeria.

The event, held connected Monday successful Abuja, brought unneurotic cardinal stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and nonrecreational bodies — including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) — to deliberate connected the projected legislative frameworks aimed astatine strengthening method acquisition and younker empowerment.

In his opening remarks, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Rep. Paul Nnamchi, said alternate acquisition was calved retired of necessity, describing vocational, technical, and entrepreneurship acquisition arsenic the captious span betwixt world qualifications and employable skills for nationalist development.

Also speaking, representatives of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) expressed enactment for the projected institutions, noting that they align with the Commission’s mandate to beforehand method and entrepreneurship education.

Representing the Executive Director of SEDC, Mr. Ifejika Sunday reaffirmed the Commission’s committedness to initiatives that heighten method capableness and trim younker unemployment successful the region.

Declaring the proceeding open, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Ibrahim Almustapha Aliyu (Wurno/Rabah Federal Constituency, Sokoto State), described the inaugural arsenic a bold measurement toward addressing unemployment, promoting entrepreneurship, and strengthening Nigeria’s quality superior basal done applicable education.

“Vocational grooming and entrepreneurial accomplishment acquisition are cardinal drivers of nationalist development,” helium said. “Nigeria’s youthful colonisation remains a invaluable plus that indispensable beryllium empowered done skills grooming and alternate acquisition for self-sufficiency and nationalist progress.”

Hon. Aliyu commended Speaker Abbas for his foresight successful establishing, for the archetypal time, a dedicated Committee connected Alternative Education to span learning gaps and supply opportunities for millions of Nigerians extracurricular the ceremonial acquisition system.

The 4 bills nether information include: A Bill for an Act to Establish the South East Institute for Vocational and Entrepreneurial Studies, Umuobum, Imo State (sponsored by Hon. Ikeagwuonu Onyinye Ugochinyere — HB.2263);

A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal Institute of Technical Education and Skills Acquisition, Mbaise, Imo State (sponsored by Hon. Chinedu Emeka Martins — HB.2342);

A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition, Ilorin West, Kwara State (sponsored by Hon. Muktar Tolani Shagaya — HB.554); and

A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Institute for Vocational and Entrepreneurial Studies, Agadagba-Obon, Ese-Odo, Ondo State (sponsored by Hon. Donald Kimikanboh Ojogo — HB.2033).

Presenting its memorandum, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) commended the House for advancing Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) done legislation, describing it arsenic cardinal to nationalist productivity and innovation.

The NSE projected harmonising the organization names for argumentation coherence, recommending a unified naming format specified arsenic Federal College of Technical Education and Skills Acquisition (FCTESA), [Location, State].

The engineers besides suggested that the heads of the projected institutions beryllium designated arsenic Principals alternatively than Rectors oregon Provosts, and that the institutions beryllium placed nether the regulatory oversight of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) for consistency successful prime assurance and accreditation.

In its submission, the NSE raised governance concerns and recommended clearer assignment processes to forestall governmental interference. It besides called for organization autonomy, merit-based appointments, and the designation of the Minister of Education arsenic the “Visitor” to the institutions for due oversight.

Specifically, the NSE noted that HB.2263 (Imo State) wrongly places the projected institute nether the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), contempt its method and entre...