The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, Prof. Idris Bugaje, has lauded President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its unprecedented focus on technical and vocational education.
Mr Bugaje, during an interview in Abuja, said the past two years marked a turning point for Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Nigeria.
He described the Tinubu-led administration’s investment in technical education as “the best in the country’s history since the civil war.”
He recalled that prior to the 1970s, the country saw notable innovations and attention in the TVET sector, noting that it was lost during the years of oil wealth, which shifted focus away from skilled–based education.
He said, “These two years have been the best for TVET in the history of Nigeria since after the civil war. Before the civil war, there were a lot of innovations in our TVET sector, and they were given attention. But since the oil boom of the 70s, TVET was abandoned. It is only now the federal government is giving attention to TVET.’’
He also praised the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for implementing far-reaching programmes and innovations in the TVET sector.
He described Mr Alausa as “a medical doctor with high sense of knowledge in the education sector.’’
Mr Bugaje, who said he initially questioned the choice of the minister, expecting perhaps an architect or engineer, but realised that medical training is also hands-on, and that background had clearly influenced his appreciation of practical skills development.
He, therefore, expressed hope that the current momentum would be sustained over the next six years which would allow TVET to become deeply rooted and serve as a foundation for industrialisation drive.
(NAN)
