NBTE develops 60 curricula to tackle unemployment

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has developed over 60 new and reviewed curricula of the National Diploma (ND) and the Higher National Diploma (HND) curricula.

Specifically reviewed are the National Occupational Standards (NOS) and Open, Distance and Flexible e-Learning (ODFeL) Courseware in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET).

The Executive Secretary, NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, said this at the public presentation of the new and reviewed ND, HND curricula, NOS, and ODFeL in Abuja on Tuesday.

Bugaje said that the new and reviewed curricula was long overdue as they would help to provide general guide to institutions in determining the body of knowledge and skills, while also addressing the employability problems in the country.

According to him, the number of developed regulatory instruments to be unveiled represent about 15 per cent of the total on offer.

He, therefore, stressed the need for the board to keep developing and reviewing more to bring them to national and international standards.

“The board has a combined total of over 350 curricula, NOS and ODFEL course-ware in the Nigerian TVET system.

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“The notable quality of these curricula is that they are industry-driven; developed and/or reviewed with the full participation of the Nigerian industries to address the employability problem that are often encountered by our diplomats upon graduation.

“The problem of employers of labour incurring additional cost to retrain our products in order to fit into their operation is hopefully being solved.

“The peculiar type of training that should be given to Polytechnic and Monotechnic students in line with the national objective of encouraging youths economic self-reliance, entrepreneurship as a programme has, more than ever before, become one of the key features of the reviewed curricula,” he said.

Bugaje listed some of the new and reviewed curricula as ND/HND in Petroleum and Gas Processing Engineering, Transport, Planning and Management, Strategic Communication and Media Studies, Water Sanitation and Hygiene and Organic Agricultural Technology.

He also listed Homeland Security, Articulated Vehicle Driving, Construction Equipment Operation and Traditional and Herbal Hygiene as part of the new and reviewed NOS for skill training.

Bugaje added that the National Council on Establishment (NCE) at its last meeting in Yola, approved the inclusion of some of these TVET courses into the schemes of service of the Federation, particularly the National Innovation Diploma (NID).

The Star