The Federal Government has expressed commitment to empower teachers and equip schools with the required equipment to ensure a seamless flow of technical education nationwide.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman made this known on Wednesday in Abuja, during the annual sensitisation meeting of stakeholders of Technical Teachers Training Programme (TTTP) with the theme “Developing 21st Century Technical Teachers: Preparing for the Future.”
Mamman who stressed the importance of technical education in addressing learning poverty, said government was ready to invest heavily in the training of technical teachers, adding it was the responsibility of the ministry to ensure teachers were empowered to deliver high-quality education that fosters innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
According to him, the education sector was witnessing a new era as the current administration was ready to support and improve the the welfare and capacity of teachers in the country.
He said: “It is our plan to review holistically some of the institutions which by name only, answer technical schools. They will sooner than later answer their real names; they will be technical schools in the true sense of it.
“We have already instructed the visiting bodies especially TETFund to rechannel resources from this year, to equipping our schools and one of the things we did very early on was equipment needs assessment of the schools.
“That report was submitted about two months ago. We are going to work the talk in terms of equipping the relevant institutions that provides skills for our children.
“As we stand at the threshold of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we recognize the urgent need to equip our Technical Teachers with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required to prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century Technical Teachers are the bedrock of our educational system, in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Skills development eco-system, hence it is our responsibility to ensure they are empowered to deliver high-quality education that fosters innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
“Today, we gather to reaffirm our commitment to this vital programme and chart a course for its success. To strategically position TTTP, we identified challenges of TVET in both formal and informal sectors.
“The challenges include: Public apathy towards TVET leading to low enrolment in the Technical Schools, inability to review curricula within the five years’ time frame, lack of tools and equipment or obsolete equipment in our colleges, usage of Curricula that is supply-driven instead of demand-driven.
“Others are: Low enrolment of girls child in TVET programmes, low morale of TVET teachers due to poor remuneration, dearth of teaching staff with 21st century pedagogy skills and cognate industry experience relevant for the training of students to meet the needs of employers, lack of effective linkages with industries to facilitate exposure to the use of modern methods, processes and technology.
“We also identified lack of adequate infrastructural support for ICT applications in TVET institutions, lack of political will and legislation on TVET at various levels of governance and inadequate funding for delivery of the National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF), among others.
“The TTTP initiative is a beacon of hope for our future skills development and entrepreneurship of our future generation. It embodies our collective vision for better tomorrow.
“As we move forward, let us remember the power of collaboration and the importance of stakeholders’ engagement.
“Through this programme, we aim to enhance the pedagogical skills of our technical teachers, integrate emerging technologies into teaching and learning, foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders and develop a culture of continuous professional development.”
Director, Technology and Science Education Department, Dr. Adenike Olodo Muyibat noted that paring technical teachers for evolving role in the 21st century was key to ensuring students acquire the relevant skills and competencies needed to succeed in a globally competitive environment.
She said: “This year’s theme resonates deeply with the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing the quality of Technical Education. We are living in an era of rapid technological advancements, and the role of technical education has never been more crucial in shaping the workforce of tomorrow.