Nigerian government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has formalised a new partnership with the Institute of Technical Education, Education Services (ITEES), Singapore, via the signing of an official agreement aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system.
A statement by the Director of Press of the ministry, Boriowo Folashade, noted that the agreement was signed on Thursday during a ceremony connecting officials in Abuja and Singapore, with Nigeria represented by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and Singapore represented by ITE Education Services (ITEES).
She said the collaboration builds on engagements initiated during the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa’ s official visit to Singapore in 2025, which included meetings with Singapore’s Minister of Education, Mr Desmond Lee and a visit to Singapore’s ITE campuses. This was followed by further discussions with the Singapore High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lim Sim Seng, at the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja in February to discuss the finalisation of the agreement.
Under the agreement, ITEES will support Nigeria with a Train-the-Trainer Programme designed to strengthen pedagogical and assessment capabilities of TVET instructors from technical institutions across the nation, ensuring that they deliver high-quality technical training with global standards.
“The agreement also includes strengthened institutional leadership via a leadership training in Singapore for principals and heads of departments from technical institutions nationwide, as well as the introduction of the Global Excellence Model for Skills Training (GEMSET) in Nigeria,” she said.
According to her, through the Global Excellence Model, TVET institutions across Nigeria will be assessed against internationally recognised benchmarks across seven key dimensions of TVET excellence. The framework will provide a structured pathway for workshop revamps, institutional improvement and alignment with global best practices in technical education delivery.
Speaking on the significance of the partnership, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, noted that Singapore’s TVET system has become a global reference point for countries seeking to build highly skilled and competitive workforces.
He stated that Nigeria’s collaboration with ITEES will accelerate the transformation of the country’s technical education ecosystem by strengthening institutional capacity and equipping educators with modern teaching and assessment methodologies.
“The partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s broader strategy to reposition technical education as a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and industrial development.
“This initiative also supports the National Education, Skills and Research for Innovation (NESRI) agenda of the Federal Ministry of Education and advances the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to transform Nigeria into a globally competitive, knowledge-driven economy powered by skills, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirms its commitment to leveraging strategic international partnerships to strengthen Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training system, enhance institutional capacity, and equip Nigerian youth with globally competitive skills.