NBTE Unveils 61 Curricula, Courseware and NOS for ND/NID/HND ODFeL and NSQs

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has unveiled 61 new and reviewed curricula for National Diploma (ND), National Innovation Diploma (NID) and Higher National Diploma (HND) as well as ND Courseware for Open, Distance and Flexible e-Learning (ODFeL) and the National Occupational Standards (NOS) between 2021 and 2022.
According to the Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, the new and reviewed curricula was long overdue as they would help to provide general guide to institutions in determining the body of knowledge and skills, while also addressing the employability problems in the country. He stated that the number of developed curricula, courseware and NOS unveiled represents about 15 per cent of the total.
Prof. Bugaje stressed the need for the Board to keep developing and reviewing more to bring them to national and international standards especially with over 350 curricula, NOS and ODFEL course-ware in the Nigerian TVET system. He stated the notable quality of these curricula is that they are industry-driven; developed and/or reviewed with the full participation of the Nigerian industries to address the employability problem that are often encountered by our diplomats upon graduation. According to the ES, the problem of employers of labour incurring additional cost to retrain the products of the TVET system in order to fit into their operation is hopefully being solved. Some of the new and reviewed curricula include ND/HND in Petroleum and Gas Processing Engineering, Transport, Planning and Management, Strategic Communication and Media Studies, Water Sanitation and Hygiene and Organic Agricultural Technology. The reviewed and developed NOS for skill training include Homeland Security, Articulated Vehicle Driving, Construction Equipment Operation and Traditional and Herbal Hygiene.
He added that the National Council on Establishment (NCE) at its last meeting in Yola, approved the inclusion of some of these TVET courses into the schemes of service of the Federation, particularly the National Innovation Diploma (NID). The Executive Secretary then informed the general public that two African countries have shown interest in the quality of the country’s system with Rwanda signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) while Morocco was also in line to do so.
The executive secretary, however, called on stakeholders and the government for continuous support in ensuring proper funding of the Skills Sector Council (SSC) to drive the skill agenda forward.
In his address, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu who was represented by the Director of Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions, Dr Ejeh Usman, said the new development would mark the departure from the old practice where subject experts develop or review curricula without taking cognisance of the expectations of employers of labour and noted that the curricula would no doubt instill fresh ideas in the delivery and learning processes.
In his contribution, the Chairman of Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology (COHEADS), Dr Samuel B. Kalagbor and Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Rumuola, Rivers State, promised to ensure the full implementation of the new and reviewed curricula and expand the frontier of students training.
In attendance at the occasion were the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, Registrar NABTEB, Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe and the Executive Secretary, NCCE, Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, among others.