In line with efforts to reinvigorate skills acquisition in polytechnics across the country, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has approved the sum of N130,000,000.00 as a zonal intervention for each polytechnic in its 2023 intervention line.
Director of Infrastructure of the Fund, Malam Buhari Mika’Ilu disclosed the development on Tuesday, June 6, 2023
at the TETFund/NBTE Sensitisation Workshop on the 2023 Zonal Intervention on Skills for Rectors and Directors of Skills in Beneficiary Polytechnics in Abuja.
Mika’Ilu said that the intervention was to consolidate the efforts of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in increasing the capacities of polytechnics to deliver on their mandate. Adding that the intervention was mostly used to support institutions to meet basic requirements for accreditation.
He informed that the intervention focused purely on projects with academic relevance, thereby addressing deficiencies in core areas of acquisition of essential instructional materials and equipment for teaching and learning and building capacities for the use of the equipment procured:
”Funds are allocated in line with the provision of the Establishment Act and guided towards addressing critical and essential needs of the beneficiary institutions for the improvement of quality and maintenance of standards in the tertiary educational institutions.
”NBTE has been at the forefront in championing the need to have skills in the educational system in Nigeria.
”It is in response to this, that the Fund has prioritised the 2023 Zonal Allocation to polytechnics to be geared towards reinvigorating skills acquisition in the polytechnics across the country.
”This is to further consolidate the efforts of NBTE of increasing the capacities of Polytechnics to deliver on their mandate.
”Therefore, the sum of N130,000,000.00 only allocated to each polytechnic has the main focus of procurement, Installation, Testing, Training, and commissioning of relevant training materials,” he said.
The director also revealed that since the inception of the Zonal Intervention in 2016, the Fund had allocated a total sum of N52,046,079,584.7 as zonal Intervention to enlisted polytechnics:
”In the year 2017, the Fund focused the Zonal intervention on the ‘Student Dignity Project’. Hence, the intervention was used to upgrade and standardise all lavatory facilities or provision new ones where necessary in academic areas of institutions, also shuttle buses (coaches) were procured for students’ use among other projects.
”Most recently, the 2022 intervention was used for the deployment of ICT facilities within the institutions in line with the guidelines developed by the Fund. This is essentially to increase the capacities of institutions to function effectively and deliver their programmes online.
”The Fund has allocated a total of N60,290,000,000.00 for Zonal Intervention for the year 2023 to all the two hundred and nineteen beneficiary institutions of which, the sum of N9,230,000,000.00 is allocated to polytechnics,” he added.
He said the intervention, a post-research activity, had created an opportunity for academic staff in Science and Technology Programmes to fabricate equipment, thus promoting skills development in the Polytechnics.
Mika’Ilu expressed optimism that the intervention would, in the long run, support the institution to resuscitate skills and improve graduate employability.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono charged rectors of polytechnics to explore innovative approaches to skills development and as well devise effective solutions that would enhance the quality and relevance of technical education in the institutions.
Echono said that skills development and entrepreneurship represented a holistic process in which individuals in society pursue opportunities and address needs through innovation.
He also noted that acquiring skills prepares individuals for employment across all sectors of the economy and helps overcome numerous challenges as well as fostering a brighter future for both the nation and individuals for global competition:
”Today, we recognise the significant strides made by TETFund and NBTE in promoting skills development in our beneficiary polytechnics.
”Our unwavering commitment to advancing technical and vocational education has paved the way for countless success stories, empowering individuals and transforming communities across our great nation.
”The purpose of this sensitisation workshop is to discuss and enlighten participants on two key areas: One is the skills agenda and occupational areas as a panacea for gainful employment of graduates and the second is the formalisation of the informal skills sector.
”By focusing on these aspects, we aim to address the critical needs for aligning our educational system with the demands of the labor market,” he said.
The TETFund Executive Secretary acknowledged that graduates equipped with relevant skills and competencies were more likely to secure gainful employment and contribute meaningfully to the development of the nation, hence the need for the intervention.
He added that the 2023 Zonal Intervention on Skills was a significant step towards transforming Nigeria’s education system and empowering students and citizens for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
In the same vein, the Executive Secretary, NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, said that TETFund had been a very active promoter, supporter, and financier of skills development in the country.
Bugaje, however, called on polytechnic rectors to key into the formalisation of the informal sector using technology to drive the sector.
He said that the N130 million given to polytechnics in the 2023 intervention line would not be used for building projects but rather to upgrade facilities for skills training, especially as about 10 skills had been identified.
He called on the government to stop the conversion of polytechnics to universities, saying that henceforth, polytechnics without skills development centres would not be given accreditation for National Diploma programmes.
