The federal government in collaboration with the Institute of Education, Singapore, has commenced a capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening the delivery of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) across the country through the training of instructors and educators.

The initiative, tagged the “Train the Trainers (Pedagogy & Assessment) Programme,” is a 10-day intensive training jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the Institute of Education, Singapore.

The programme is implemented in two cohorts, with the first cohort of 60 TVET teachers at the federal and state levels, currently undergoing training in Abuja, while a second cohort of another 60 teachers is scheduled to participate in Lagos.

Speaking with reporters at the training, National Coordinator, Special Programmes, Office of the Minister of Education, Adebayo Onigbanjo explained the programme is designed to equip Nigerian educators with modern pedagogical and assessment skills.

He noted that participants are expected to transfer the knowledge gained to their colleagues through a cascading training model, enabling the enhanced teaching methods to ultimately benefit students across the country.

Onigbanjo explained the programme aims to train additional members of Federal Technical Colleges to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals.

The ultimate goal, he said, is to increase capacity in technical education by producing more competent instructors who can deliver quality vocational education and prepare students with industry-relevant skills.

He added that the initiative forms part of the federal government’s broader efforts to reposition the TVET sector as a key driver of economic growth, job creation and industrial development.

According to him, improving the quality of teaching in technical institutions will ensure that graduates are better equipped to meet the demands of the labour market and contribute meaningfully to national development.

He expressed confidence that the knowledge and expertise gained during the programme would strengthen the capacity of instructors across Federal Technical Colleges, create a multiplier effect through continuous peer-to-peer training, and ultimately enhance learning outcomes for thousands of students nationwide.

He revealed that over 1.3 million Nigerians registered for technical skills training when the initiative was launched last year, making it imperative to build sufficient teaching capacity.

“We need more trainers. Those being trained today will return to their schools and train their colleagues, allowing us to scale up capacity across the country,” he said.

Also speaking, Technical Assistant to the Minister of Education on TVET, Dr. Nabila Mohamed, said the programme seeks to reposition technical education by shifting classroom instruction from theory-based teaching to competency-based practical learning.

She noted the training would expose participants to modern instructional techniques that would enable them to better engage students and prepare them for the workplace.