Abuja, Nigeria – E don happen! Federal Government don finally talk say dem go dey pay N45,000 monthly to students wey enroll for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. Idris Bugaje, wey be Executive Secretary for National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), na him drop the gist during one interview wey dem do for Abuja as dem dey check how President Bola Tinubu second year don dey go.
Bugaje talk say this move no be small thing, as e go boost technical education and increase the number of students wey wan enter these schools. “This one wey we dey do go make am easy for young people to run come technical college, learn skills and even find work for inside and outside Nigeria,” e dey yan like say we go see big change for the sector soon.
According to am, di technical education wey sabi dey down wan come alive again. He talk say during colonial days and early independence, dem use dey give TVET attention. But since 1980s, na wetin dem dey call ‘down the drain’ be dat. E even talk say as of now, we get only 129 technical colleges compare to 15,000 secondary schools wey dey Nigeria. Na wa o!
No be only N45k dem go dey give students, o! Government start plan to cover teaching fees and even pay industry instructors wey dey guide students during their attachment. Dem also go help with the money for skill certification. Bugaje even add say dem don arrange N120 billion grant wey go support this whole TVET programme through Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
“Di N45,000 na grant, no be loan at all. So, those wey go enjoy am no go pay back,” he talk. E make am clear say dem wan encourage more people enter technical education so dem go fit get better future.
To make sure say dis plan no just fade away, di Minister of Education dey spearhead bill wey go set up National Skills Fund under new Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework. Bugaje talk say dem go present dis bill for National Assembly soon. Di fund go dey support not just government colleges, but also private sector training.
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