Inadequate Funding, Staffing Affecting NBTE Activities, ES Tells NASS

The executive secretary (ES) of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris M. Bugaje, yesterday told the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education on oversight function that a major challenge of the board is inadequate funding and understaffing.

The ES while making a presentation before the committee said the board was established by decree No 8 of 1977 and amended in 1985 and 1992 and supervises, accredits and regulates the Technical and Vocational Education and Training(TVET) sector (over 700 Institutions), which generally represent any training outside the University System.

“Some of the challenges of existing TVET institutions in Nigeria include:

Inability to review ND/HND curricula within the five years’ time frame due to poor funding; 2024 was our worst budget with Curve-outs at NASS.

“Development of Curricula that are supply driven instead of demand driven. NYSE -2 with Denmark was a watershed.

Lack of modern tools and equipment and use of obsolete equipment in TVET Institutions.

“Stigmatisation of TVET graduates including HND as being inferior; (more of a mind set) absence of the Polytechnic Commission, which we hope this House Committee shall resolve,” he identified as challenges.

The ES also said, the recovery of NBTE land in Abuja, Timelines, 2003 Land allocated to NBTE at Maitama with CoO No 445 is of paramount importance, stressing that “ the ES at that time signed 23 years agreement for development of the land with PFC Ltd. a private Company, DB Mangal seized 2/3 of the land and built ‘Murjanatu House’ for commercial renting.

“2007 Abuja High Court, under Justice Bage, demanded suspension of all activates on the land, Mangal refused to comply. He faked CoO No. 1405 instead.

2019 Justice Obono-Oblah, Chairman, the Presidential Panel on Recovery of Public Property returned land and its buildings to NBTE in a ceremony.

“2021 new ES received HME approval for recovery and enforcement. This was duly carried out & property recovered.Again Mangal used 8 Trucks of police officers and about 100 Hooligans to forcefully take over. Matter now back in Appeal Court. Vanguard of 27th July 2024 has called for the Tinubu Administration to investigate this and 9 other critical inherited corruption matters.

The ES also informed the committee that the struggle to upgrade NBTE to National Polytechnic Commission has started, and solicited for the support of the committee in seeing to its realisation.

Responding, the chairman of the committee, Hon. Faud Kayode Laguda said all the challenges have been duly noted, adding that the National Assembly will critically look at them and see areas that can be addressed in the immediate and long term.

He commended the ES for providing good leadership, stressing that “ the reward for hard work is more work”.