NBTE introduces obligatory abilities qualification for polytechnic college students
The National Board for Technical Education has launched a Mandatory Skills Qualification as a commencement requirement for all newly reviewed National Diploma and Higher National Diploma curricula.
The board mentioned the introduction is in keeping with world tendencies, particularly as ability acquisition is now central to the coaching of youths in polytechnics.
This was disclosed in an announcement by the board’s Head of Media, Hajiya Fatimah Abubakar, on Monday in Abuja.
Abubakar mentioned diploma holders would now graduate with a National Skills Qualification or its equal, as a further certification.
She mentioned the MSQ is now a requirement for all diploma programmes and have to be attained earlier than commencement.
She additionally famous that the NSQ was a certification system designed to evaluate and recognise the abilities and competencies of people in numerous fields.
“It focuses on vocational abilities and is often obtained by vocational coaching programmes, apprenticeships, and assessments performed by accredited ability evaluation our bodies.
“NSQ goals to bridge the hole between formal schooling and business wants by offering people with sensible abilities related to the job market.
“The dual certification of obtaining both an NSQ and an ND in Nigeria offers several benefits, including a comprehensive skill set, increased employability, versatility, professional recognition, and career progression,” she mentioned.
The NBTE head of media additional mentioned that the twin certification opens doorways to profession development alternatives in addition to gives a robust basis for upward mobility and profession progress.
”The twin certification affords a aggressive edge within the job market, enhances profession prospects, and equips people with the abilities and information wanted to thrive of their chosen fields.
”This twin certification is predicted to considerably improve employability. However, NBTE is conscious of the restricted abilities coaching amenities in our polytechnics and is due to this fact permitting a phased introduction.
”The guideline gives polytechnic directors with strategies for implementing this new provision. Quality assurance is essential in guaranteeing the effectiveness and relevance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes”, she famous.
She added that assessors would play a significant function on this course of, by evaluating the standard of schooling and coaching offered in numerous technical and vocational fields.
she mentioned their function will embody assessing requirements, studying outcomes, and the general efficiency of Skills Development Centres in polytechnics and different TVET establishments.
“Under the MSQ, HND degree college students who’ve acquired NSQ on the ND degree can enrol in Quality Assurance Assessor (QAA) coaching as a substitute for one other NSQ.
“The QAA certificate will be valuable in the workplace, as many industries require on-the-job training,” she mentioned.
She famous that a number of challenges, together with ability shortages, a mismatch between business wants and coaching, and a scarcity of synergy between business, authorities companies, and TVET establishments characterised Nigeria’s technical manpower scenario.
NAN
