Education Minister Moves to Reform Technical Education Board

Author: Gist Correspondent

The Federal Government has begun reforms to reposition the Monotechnic and Technical Education Board (MBTE) as part of efforts to strengthen technical and vocational education across Nigeria.

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the initiative is aimed at transforming the board into a more effective institution capable of overseeing polytechnics, monotechnics and other technical education providers.

The move comes amid concerns over the state of technical and vocational education, with more than 55 per cent of assessed curricula described as outdated and funding challenges affecting the sector's ability to meet industry demands.

The ministry also noted that about 93 per cent of Nigeria's workforce is engaged in informal employment, while roughly 12 per cent of young people are neither in education, employment nor technical training.

To drive the reform, the ministry has commissioned a KPMG-led assessment to identify institutional gaps and develop a new organisational structure and operational framework for the board.

According to Alausa, the reforms are designed to make the MBTE a fit-for-purpose agency that will promote practical skills, improve industry relevance and boost the employability and productivity of graduates.

The minister stressed that polytechnic education remains a key component of the country's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system.

He disclosed that the ongoing curriculum review, supported by a N1 billion intervention from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has produced 27 new National Occupational Standards and updated four existing ones, bringing the total to 31.

The new standards, he said, are expected to provide a seamless skills development pathway from artisan training to National Certificate, Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes.

KPMG Partner and Head of Tax, Regulatory and People Services, Adewale Ajayi, said Nigeria ranks second only to Singapore in the employability of TVET graduates among the markets assessed, highlighting the sector's potential for economic growth if properly strengthened.