Nigeria to Focus 80% of Technical and Vocational Education Curriculum on Practical Skills

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced a reform in Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system to prioritize practical learning, with 80% of the curriculum now dedicated to hands-on training and only 20% to theoretical learning.

Dr. Alausa made this announcement during a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, held to introduce the maiden edition of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fair/Exhibition, scheduled for November 18 to November 21.

He outlined a decisive plan to overhaul the structure of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nigeria from theory-based learning to a more practical approach.

“The way technical education has been structured is not the best because we focus heavily on didactics.

“We are now clearly changing the TVET structure from didactics to skill acquisition, we will now do 20% didactics and 80% practical, and that’s how we are going to move forward,” he stated.

To address this imbalance, the Minister disclosed ongoing consultations with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to implement a new framework.

“We have met with the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to change the structure,” he stated.

Aligning education with national needs 

Dr. Alausa highlighted the importance of aligning Nigeria’s education system with the needs of its youthful population. He highlighted the demographic significance of Nigeria’s population, 70% of which is under 30 years of age.

“We have a unique demography in the world: 220 million people, with 70% of them under the age of 30. We need to work and give these young men and women, who are energetic, ready to learn, and contribute to this country, the right skills. 

Enough of studying banking, business, and insurance in the Monotechnics because it’s bastardising our technical education. This is not what President Bola Tinubu wants. There is going to be a stop to that. We need to create jobs and provide life skills for young Nigerians,” he stated.

Incentives for TVET enrollment 

To encourage enrollment in technical schools, Dr. Alausa revealed that the government would introduce several incentives, including free tuition and capacity building.

“What we are going to do at TVET is to incentivise people to go to our technical schools. We will pay them to attend, cover their tuition, and build capacity in those schools. By the time they finish their training, 20% will be didactics within the classroom and 80% will be practical learning through apprenticeship,” he explained.

The minister added that short-term curricula lasting six and twelve months will be developed, with the first set of students expected to begin training between March and April 2025.

“By the end of 2025, we will be graduating the first set of students, and as they finish, we will provide them with entrepreneurial grants,” Alausa said.