TETFund, Nigerian Academy of Engineering partner to bridge skills gap

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Nigerian Academy of Engineering have established a collaborative partnership aimed at addressing the pressing issue of skills deficiencies in Nigeria.

Speaking at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Abuja, Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, said the time has come for Nigeria not just to talk about Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), but to take action. Echono noted that successive governments, over the years, have been paying lip service to the promotion of TVET,

“Why do I say that? Our polytechnics, meant to be pillars of TVET in this country, are offering courses that have no bearing with TVET. The laboratories and workshops often contain obsolete equipment. Many do not have the requisite technical staff to man these facilities. We are still grappling with the issue of power and ensuring that teaching and learning can take place,” he said.

On his part, President of the Nigerian Academy of Engineers, Rahamon Bello, said the event marked the beginning of a way forward towards bringing all agencies and groups that may assist government in entrenching TVET activities, in order to fill existing gaps for technicians and artisans.

Similarly, the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Margaret Oguntala, said there cannot be national development without engineering and technical education.

“To provide a physical mass of people and their skills for the work. TVET is part of our strategic agenda. The NSE strategic agenda has five pillars, and TVET comes under community impact in pillar number four,” Oguntala stated.