NBTE Launched Online Workshop to Introduce Digital Literacy Competency for TVET Teachers

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has launched an online workshop aimed at introducing digital literacy competency for TVET teachers. The intensive one-week training is tailored to equip Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers in Nigeria with essential digital competence skills. The workshop emphasizes practical applications of digital tools and strategies to enhance teaching and learning in vocational education settings. The inaugural cohort of the workshop, which began on Monday, February 19, 2024, was inaugurated by the Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, represented by his Special Assistant, Prof. Diya’uddeen Basheer Hasan.

The Executive Secretary highlighted that the workshop is a strategic intervention to align the TVET system with 21st-century teaching and learning standards. It is organized in collaboration with eLearning Consult Nigeria and is in accordance with the National Digital Learning Policy of the Federal Ministry of Education. By the end of the workshop, participants are expected to assess the importance of digital competence in TVET education, utilize digital tools for efficient lesson planning and delivery, develop and adapt digital content for vocational education, promote digital collaboration and communication in vocational classrooms, and implement problem-solving strategies using digital tools, among other skills.

The inaugural cohort consists of 115 TVET teachers from 12 institutions. The NBTE had earlier initiated the digitalization of quality assurance in the TVET sector to address the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the Federal Government's focus on a digitally-driven economy. The initiative aimed to significantly reduce the need for on-site visits, enhance sustainability, and improve the overall efficiency of the process.

Furthermore, beyond administrative streamlining, the initiative will serve as a critical tool for the NBTE to closely monitor curriculum implementation, particularly regarding practical components. Given that 60% - 70% of technology program curricula in TVET institutions are practical, neglecting these elements has often led to graduates with inadequate practical knowledge.