From Okwe Obi, Abuja
To be at par with international standards, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has unveiled 60 new and reviewed curricula of the National Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma (HND) National Educational Standards, Distance and Flexible e-Learning (ODFeL), and Courseware in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET).
NBTE Executive Secretary Prof Idris Bugaje disclosed this at a public presentation of the new and reviewed ND, HND curricula, NOS and ODFeL yesterday in Abuja.
Bugaje said that the reviewed curricula were long overdue as they would help to provide pathways to institutions in determining knowledge, and skills, which would address the high rate of unemployability.
“The board has a combined total of over 350 curricula, NOS and ODFEL course-ware in the Nigerian TVET system.
“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 problems that are often encountered by our diplomats upon graduation.
“The problem of employers of labour incurring additional cost to retrain our products in order to fit into their operation is hopefully being solved. The peculiar type of training that should be given to Polytechnic and Monotechnic students in line with the national objective of encouraging youth economic self-reliance, entrepreneurship as a programme has, more than ever before, become one of the key features of the reviewed curricula,” he said.
Also, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said the initiative 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.
Represented by the Director of Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions, Dr Ejeh Usman, Adamu said the curricula would instil fresh ideas in the learning process.
He said: “I understand over 30 ND/HND curricula, 16 NOS and 18 Course-ware were either developed or reviewed in the last one and a half years, with the active involvement of the industry and the Organised Private Sector (OPS).”