FG pushes polytechnics to phase-out non-tech programmes, focus on industry  

The federal government has asked polytechnics to prioritise technical education by phasing out non-technical programmes and aligning academic offerings with the demands of industry and the labour market.

Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, made the call on Thursday in Abuja while inaugurating the governing board of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), urging institutions under the board’s oversight to deepen their focus on applied sciences, engineering, technology and innovation.

Alausa emphasised the need for polytechnics to begin winding down non-technical programmes that lie outside their core mandate, as part of a broader push to align technical education with Nigeria’s industrialisation goals.

He maintained that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is not a fallback to university education but a strategic national priority, noting that industrialisation cannot happen without a strong pipeline of technicians, technologists, artisans, fabricators, automation specialists and machine operators.

“The government has backed this shift with sustained investment and policy reform aimed at closing the gap between classroom learning and industry demand, spanning technical colleges, polytechnics, colleges of education and universities.

“The move, forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places human capital development at the centre of the administration’s economic strategy, a pivot away from paper qualifications toward skills that can drive entrepreneurship, productivity and industrial growth,” he said.

Alausa set out four areas of focus for the newly inaugurated board, which include governance discipline, board members are expected to concentrate on strategic leadership and policy direction, leaving day-to-day administration to the executive secretary and management team.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), the board is to fast-track implementation of the RPL framework with the industrial training fund and other partners, formally certifying skilled artisans under the National Skills Qualification Framework.

The minister said this would boost employability, widen access to finance, open doors to government contracts and support labour mobility across the ECOWAS region.

Curriculum modernisation, programmes should shift to outcome-based education and reflect Industry 4.0 realities, incorporating digital technology, automation, AI, green technologies and advanced manufacturing.

While the fourth one, which is fiscal accountability, public funds, capital projects, intervention funds and research investments must translate into measurable gains in skills, institutional performance and youth employment.

Babatunde Salako, the governing board chairman, on behalf of the board members, said shifting public perception of technical education away from being seen as a ‘second-choice’ option would be one of the board’s top priorities, calling for sustained public enlightenment to position TVET as a credible path to employment and entrepreneurship.

Idris Bugaje, NBTE executive secretary and board secretary,  pledged that the board will be committed to working closely with the ministry of education to deliver on the administration’s TVET transformation agenda.