FG Orders Polytechnics To Scrap Non-technical Courses

The Federal Government has ordered polytechnics to stop offering non-technical courses that were outside their legal responsibilities, in an 
effort to strengthen technical education and produce more skilled workers for the country’s growing industries.
 Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, gave the directive in Abuja while inaugurating the Governing Board of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE.
Alausa urged institutions supervised by the NBTE to give greater attention to applied sciences, engineering, technology, innovation and other technical fields that prepare students for practical careers, pointing out that technical and vocational education should no longer be seen as a second option for students who could not gain admission into universities.
He said that the country needed a strong technical workforce to drive industrial growth, improve productivity and support economic development, adding that  the country cannot achieve lasting industrial progress without trained technicians, technologists, artisans, machine operators, fabricators, automation experts and other skilled professionals.
Alausa stressed that the inauguration of the new NBTE Governing Board was part of the implementation of the present administration's Renewed Hope Agenda, which placed education and human capital development among the government’s priorities for economic growth and expressed confidence that the new board would provide the leadership needed to strengthen the work of the NBTE, continue ongoing reforms and support the government’s plan to build a workforce capable of meeting global standards.