The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, has unveiled plans to start paying students attending technical colleges nationwide a monthly stipend of N45,000.
Bugaje made this known during a recent interview with newsmen in Abuja, where he disclosed that the motive is to promote interest in technical education.
According to him, the administration of President Bola Tinubu has allocated N120 billion in grants to support students under the new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative. This funding will be disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
He further expressed concern over the interest in technical and vocational education, noting that it has been declining over the years.
In support of this initiative, Bugaje reported that students engaged in technical training will gain valuable skills and qualifications, which will enable them to secure jobs both locally and internationally.
He said, “With this, young people will find it more attractive to come to a technical college, acquire skills qualification, get jobs locally and even beyond the borders of Nigeria.
“This way, the whole sector is being repositioned. We are at the moment facing what you may call either a resurrection or a rebirth of TVET.
“During colonial days and early part of our independence, TVET had received attention.
”But, since 1980s, we have been going down the drains. That is why the number of technical colleges has dropped, from 129 at the moment, compared to 15,000 senior secondary schools in Nigeria.
“The N45,000 is not as a loan, but a grant. Students who enjoy this are not going to pay back. We want to encourage more people to enroll in technical education.”