FG resuscitates technical teacher training programme

The Federal Government has commenced the resuscitation of the Technical Teacher Training Programme by a inaugurating a committee that would recommend ways of producing more technical and vocational teachers in basic and post-basic schools in the country.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who was represented at the occasion by the Minister of State, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, said this would impact technical knowledge and vocational skills to students.
He said the Federal Government had introduced the initiative in 1970, to address the acquisition of technical and vocational knowledge and skills, based on the introduction of the National Policy on Education.
According to him, if Nigeria is to achieve the objective of the ‘Education for Change’ agenda of the present administration, it must produce graduates, who will compete favourably in the labour market, as well as being self-reliant.
He said: “To actualise the TTTP, the Federal Ministry of Education collaborated with training institutions in the past, both within and outside the country in manpower development and on-the-job training, for technically-oriented teachers.
“To further fast-track the implementation of the TTTP, Nigeria signed a bilateral agreement with the government of United States in 1981, to train 500 technical teachers annually for 10 years.
“However, after running the programme for six years, the agreement was reviewed; and the training commenced locally in selected institutions in the country with the Department of Technology and Science Education coordinating.”
The minister said that the programme was later ceded to the National Teachers’ Institute, when TSE was scrapped, during the reform in the education sector.
Adamu said that following the dire need for more teachers in technical and vocational subjects, it was imperative to resuscitate the TTTP to advance as well as re-position Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
He, therefore, called on the committee members to promote synergy among stakeholders, to produce middle-level manpower for Nigeria.
The members of the committee include: Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary in the ministry; Elizabeth Adedigba, Director, Technology and Science Education; Director-General, NTI, Dahuwa Azare; and Dr Masa’udu Kazaure, Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education.
Responding, Adedigba said the members would discharge their duties with a full sense of responsibility to salvage TVET in Nigeria and increase the number of teachers to implement the programme.