Writing By Teddy Daniel Bitrus; Editing By Yusuf Zubairu
National Board for Technical Education- NBTE has called for adequate funding of polytechnics in the country to deliver on its mandate of technical and Vocational Education.
The Executive Secretary of the Board Professor Idris Bugaji made the call in Kaduna during an oversight visit of House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education.
Professor Idris Bugaji re-emphasized the need for skills and vocational training to fill skill gaps in the Nigeria infrastructure.
‘no economy can grow without Infrastructure like the AKK Gas Pipeline, Trans-Saharan Natural Gas Pipeline, Rail Upgrade & expansion,Mambila Power Plant,Dangote Refinery and Urea Plant, among others; which are largely being delivered with imported skilled labour from Asia while Nigerian youths remain Jobless’,he narrated.
He lamented that poor funding has delayed the review of National Diploma and Higher National Diploma curricula within the stipulated five years’ time frame ,as enshrined by the Board.
Professor Idris Bugaji also highlighted the challenges of understaffing ,modern tools and obsolete equipment among others across polytechnic Institutions in the country.
He therefore appealed to government to upgrade the Board to a Polytechnic Commission for efficiency and effective service delivery.
Responding, chairman House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education Honourable Kayode Laguda assures of better working relationship with the NBTE to address the challenges.
‘this committee is here to make a case and make things right ,so that there will be justice and equity across all institutions ,hence the hand of fellowship that we have stretched to the NBTE’ and all federal polytechnics,he said.
Honourable Kayode Laguda commended the Board for the strategic role it is playing in the development of education in the country,while advising them to be deliberate and articulate on their demands in order to grow their budget of the board.
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Cover/Teddy
