The National Business and Technical Education Board, on Monday, urged the state and federal governments to allocate more funds for the establishment of more technical colleges for the country to attain its technological advancement by 2020.
The Deputy Director of the board, Mr. Olabode Ibidapo, stated this during an interactive session with management and staff of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.
Ibidapo emphasized that Technical and Vocational Education was important to the development of Nigeria if the country was to achieve technological advancement.
He also said that for the nation to attain the goal of being classified as one of the most developed economies in the world by the year 2020, the three tiers of government should allocate more funds to the development of indigenous technology and establishment of more technical colleges.
The NABTEB boss said students seeking admission into higher institutions of learning should be re-orientated “to embrace technical education as against the current trend where the urge for admission is skewed towards professions such as Medicine and Law as against Engineering programmes.”
He said, “Employers of labour and authorities of institutions of higher learning need to give more recognition to holders of NABTEB results and professional certificates issued by the body.
“The Federal Government had, through the Federal Ministry of Education, approved its acceptability in work places and for admission purposes.”
On career enhancement and promotion, the NABTEB boss charged workers of the institution to engage in more educational pursuits and seek, constantly, self improvement by availing themselves of the various training programmes organised by NABTEB.
Oladapo said NABTEB programmes “are carefully prepared to enhance their skills and efficiency of the students.”
The Provost of ACE, Prof. Adeyemi Idowu, described the programme as apt, noting that the presence of NABTEB officials would help in throwing more light on its operations and matters relating to its certificates in the college.
“The pressing issue on NABTEB is mostly on the non-teaching staff in the college. The interpretation of the certificates remains an alarming issue in the college, especially as it affects SSUCOEN and NASU members,” Oladapo added.
