Imagine a future where graduates don’t just leave school with a degree, but with the hands-on skills that are actually in demand in the job market.
For years, many educational systems across the globe, including Nigeria’s, have been caught up in the race for paper qualifications.
But what if that paper no longer guaranteed a job? What if the real measure of success was the ability to build, create, and innovate?
In an era where practical skills are in short supply, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) is urging polytechnics nationwide to rethink how they prepare students for the workforce.
This shift in focus isn’t just a suggestion – it’s a call to action. With the rise of automation, technological advancement, and changing job markets, there’s a pressing need for education to keep pace with the demands of modern industries.
The key, as experts argue, is not just teaching theory but cultivating practical, job-ready skills.
And now, with a renewed commitment from the government, the push for this change is gaining momentum.
NBTE Advice To Polytechnics
On Friday, during a one-day retreat in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, made it clear: polytechnics must focus on equipping students with practical skills that meet the needs of the labour market.
“Even though education is on the concurrent list, we need to be on the same page,” Bugaje said, emphasising the need to move beyond the traditional emphasis on paper qualifications.
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Echoing this, Muntari Dandutse, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, urged Nigerian polytechnics to adopt a “skills-first” approach.
Drawing lessons from countries like China, he highlighted the ongoing legislative efforts to enhance the capacity of polytechnics in fostering industrial development.
“The House committee chairman and I decided to hold this very important retreat to join forces with the leadership of the polytechnics to ensure that, under the renewed hope agenda, we create industrial development through the polytechnics,” Dandutse said.
Importance Of Skills In Workforce
He stressed the importance of revising curricula and improving funding to ensure that polytechnics can lead the way in driving innovation and skills acquisition.
Pointing to global examples, Dandutse emphasise how countries such as China and several European nations use skills acquisition to power their industries and technological advancements.
“That is why, as lawmakers, we will ensure the creation of enabling laws to enhance the capacity of polytechnics and ensure value addition,” he added.
In this context, Nigeria’s polytechnics are prepared to play a key role in the country’s industrial and technological transformation, with a renewed focus on skills, innovation, and practical learning.