NBTE urges private sector partnership to deliver TVET

Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Ma’sud Kazaure, says the country would require the support of the private sector for the delivery of technical and vocational education.

He, therefore, canvassed the establishment of more private polytechnics in the country.

Alhaji Kazaure told reporters in Offa, Offa Local Council of Kwara State shortly before the eighth convocation of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, that “The general international best practices are now towards private sector participation in the delivery of education talk less of technical and vocational education which we need most in this country.”

He said: “I want to assure you that from 2010 till date, we have had a lot of private polytechnics springing up particularly in the South West region. In particular, since the Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu took over, he has given approval to so many of these private polytechnics. It is out of the realisation of the fact that we need private sector to support to deliver technical and vocational education.

“I want to also on behalf of the minister commend the efforts of the private sector in what they are doing in the delivery of technical and
vocational education in the country.”

On the award of degrees by polytechnics, Alhaji Kazaure said that “according to the Polytechnics Act, polytechnics are not supposed to
award degrees, but some have gone far, in affiliation with the universities to award degrees. This is borne out of the zeal of Nigerians to get degrees. That is why some of the polytechnics that have the capacity approached the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the commission gave them approval to affiliate with the universities who have the mandate to award degrees.”