The Federal Government has announced a monthly N45,000 stipend for students in technical colleges nationwide, a significant step to revitalize Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Prof. Idris Bugaje, NBTE Executive Secretary, stated that this initiative is part of a broader effort to reposition TVET as an attractive alternative to university education, aiming to boost sector development and increase enrollment.
In addition to the stipends, the government will cover teaching fees, pay industry-based supervisors during industrial attachments, and fund skill certification costs, all intended to strengthen vocational training and expand opportunities for students.
Prof. Bugaje highlighted that the new measures will make technical colleges more attractive to young people, enabling them to acquire skills, find local or international jobs, and contribute to sector revitalization. He described this as a rebirth of TVET, noting that while it once received significant attention during colonial and early independence days, it declined since the 1980s, with the number of technical colleges dropping from 129 to a much smaller figure compared to the over 15,000 secondary schools in Nigeria. However, he expressed optimism that the new initiatives will reverse this trend and restore TVET to its former prominence.
Prof. Bugaje stated that President Tinubu’s government has allocated N120 billion as grants to support students under the new TVET initiative, disbursed via the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). He emphasized that the N45,000 stipends are grants, not loans, meaning students will not repay them, to encourage more enrollment in technical education.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the Minister of Education is championing a legislative bill to establish a National Skills Fund under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). The bill, expected to be presented soon to the National Assembly, aims to finance both government and private TVET institutions, ensuring sustained support for skills development nationwide.