By Funmilayo Adeyemi
The Federal Government says it remains committed to supporting Uganda’s Vision 2040 agenda by sharing experiences, institutional frameworks and technical education reforms that drive skills development.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the benchmarking visit by the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Represented by the Deputy Director, Technology and Science Education, Emmanuel Osinaike, the minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening African collaboration in TVET.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Uganda’s Vision 2040 is a long-term national development framework aimed at transforming that country from a predominantly agrarian, low-income society into a modern, prosperous, and competitive upper-middle-income economy by 2040.
It focuses on accelerating economic growth through strategic investments in key sectors such as infrastructure (transport, energy, ICT), industrialisation, oil and gas development, tourism, human capital and technological advancement
Alausa noted that Africa’s prosperity depended largely on equipping citizens with relevant practical skills, adding that the ministry had directed NBTE and relevant departments to provide full institutional access during the visit.
The minister highlighted ongoing reforms including the 80/20 curriculum structure, which allocates greater instructional time to practical training to strengthen students’ technical competence and workplace readiness.
He also emphasised the significance of the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF), noting that it formalised skills obtained within both formal institutions and informal sectors, thereby expanding recognition and employment opportunities.
Alausa added that NBTE is promoting modern trade subjects such as mechatronics, solar photovoltaic installation and digital media programmes designed to equip young Africans with globally competitive skills.
“NBTE is guiding a historic change in our technical colleges, where 80 per cent of student time is spent on hands-on practicals.
“You will see how our NSQF helps formalise the informal sector, ensuring every skilled African whether trained in a classroom or workshop has a recognisedpathway to success,” he said.
The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr Aminu Mohammed, emphasised stronger African collaboration in technical education development.
He described the benchmarking visit as a demonstration of Uganda’s commitment to strengthening its vocational and technical education system through knowledge exchange and institutional collaboration.
The registrar stressed that NABTEB and NBTE combined responsibilities formed a vital component of Nigeria’s quality assurance framework for TVET.
According to him, while NBTE regulates and accredits technical institutions and develops curricula, NABTEB conducts assessments and certifies students from technical colleges and skills training centres across Nigeria.
Mohammed described the visit as timely, explaining that curriculum development remained central to effective TVET delivery, adding that NBTE had built decades of expertise in competency-based curricula aligned with industry requirements.
“Across Africa, governments and institutions are intensifying efforts to reform TVET in response to rising youth unemployment, rapid technological change, and the growing demand for certified skilled workers.
“The exchange of best practices across borders is therefore not merely desirable but necessary.
“Nigeria and Uganda share common challenges and aspirations in this regard, and engagements such as this one creates the platform for us to learn from one another and to forge alliances that can uplift our respective systems,” he said.
He stressed that cross-border exchange of best practices among African institutions was essential.
Mohammed noted that Nigeria and Uganda shared similar development aspirations that required collaborative approaches to strengthen vocational education systems.
On his part, the Executive Secretary, NBTE Prof. Idris Bugaje, said that strong TVET institutions remained essential to driving economic transformation.
Bugaje, represented by his Technical Assistant, Hassan Akande, said that collaboration among African nations would enhance innovation, productivity and workforce readiness across the continent’s growing economies.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi
