Minister of Education in Nigeria, Professor Tahir Mamman, has expressed commitment to enhancing the training of Technical Teachers’ education with 21st-century tools as it is the beacon of hope for future skills and entrepreneurship development in the nation.
The Minister stated this at the annual sensitization meeting of stakeholders of the Technical Teachers Training Programme (TTTP), with the theme ‘Developing 21st Century Technical Teachers: Preparing for the Future’.
He said the training of teachers has also become imperative as Nigeria stands on the threshold of the fourth industrial revolution which requires innovation and creativity.
“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 a better tomorrow.
“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.
“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,” said the Minister.
Professor Mamman said the TTTP is coming at the right time, as the ministry is striking a balance and encouraging handshakes between technical Education and the industry as well as making graduates useful for society and parents through skills acquisition.
He said the TTTP will be the backbone of the recently revised curriculum that will begin to impact the skills on children from the primary school level.
“The new curriculum is designed to teach children skills in POP, GSM repairs, digital literacy, and robotics among others from the primary school, which is a way of reducing learning poverty. This can only be made possible through a well-trained technical Education teacher.
“Government is going to invest in them heavily through teacher support and welfare. TETfund has been directed to fund technical education on a need base in the areas of training and equipment.
“We have set up a task force for the implementation of the initiative curriculum, as it is expected to kick start by January next year in all schools across the Federation.
“We have opened a new era in education. Be part of it,” he urged the Teachers.
According to him, Technical Teachers Training Programmes are the bedrock of the country’s educational system, especially in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Skills development eco-system, as such it is the responsibility of the Ministry to ensure that the teachers are empowered to deliver high-quality education that fosters innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
He said the ministry has identified challenges of TVET in both formal and informal sectors and is working to overcome them.
Some of the challenges, he said include Public apathy towards TVET leading to low enrolment in the Technical Schools, inability to review curricula within the five-year time frame, lack of tools and equipment or obsolete equipment in 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,” he explained.
He said the theme of the meeting is in agreement with the Ministry’s vision to revolutionize education for a rapidly changing world.
Director, Technology and Science Education Department, Dr. (Mrs.) Adenike Olodo Muyibat in an opening remark said equipping technical teachers for evolving roles in the 21st century is key to ensuring that students acquire the skills and competencies they need to succeed in a globally competitive environment.
“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.
“The 21st-century teacher is no longer just an instructor but a guide, a mentor, and an innovator,” she said.
She said the future of education depends not only on modern infrastructure or curricula but also on the people who impart knowledge; who are the teachers, as such there is the need to equip them with the necessary expertise, tools, and resources to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and socio-economic growth of the country.
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