By Funmilayo Adeyemi
The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, says the proposed foundation certificate in Applied Health will help bridge manpower gaps in healthcare delivery across Africa.
Bugaje said this while declaring open a National Curriculum Critique and Validation Workshop for the programme on Monday in Abuja.
The event is organised in collaboration with the Afe Babalola Centre at King’s College, London.
Bugaje said the initiative was aimed at developing a one-year training programme to strengthen the capacity of middle-level health workers.
According to him, the programme is designed not only to create employment opportunities for young people but also to provide specialised training for the manpower needed to improve healthcare systems across the continent.
Bugaje explained that the curriculum would also enable graduates of the programme to progress academically.
He said that participants who obtained the qualification could be admitted into the second year of relevant National Diploma programmes in health technology and related fields.
“This curriculum we are developing will help Africa revive by providing better training for healthcare workers at the middle level who are essential to the delivery of quality healthcare services,” he said.
The NBTE boss also expressed appreciation to King’s College London for supporting the initiative and financing activities related to the workshop.
He added that the programme would contribute significantly to strengthening health education and improving healthcare outcomes in Africa.
Also speaking, a director at the Afe Babalola Centre, Dr Angel Jen, who spoke virtually, said the initiative was part of efforts by the centre to expand access to quality education and employment opportunities for underserved youth in Africa.
Jen said the centre aimed to reach one million work-ready Africans by 2030 through accessible and affordable education supported by technology.
According to the her, the foundation certificate in applied health will serve as a bridge between secondary education and higher education while also offering short courses on digital, communication and leadership skills.
The Director, Curriculum Development, NBTE, Dr Oladipupo Bello, said the proposed one-year programme, designed as a full-time online course, would provide an alternative pathway into National Diploma programmes in health technology institutions.
Bello said the curriculum development process was aimed at ensuring the programme aligned with existing structures of National Diploma programmes in Nigerian Colleges of Health Technology while meeting international best practices.
He said the workshop would allow experts from academia, professional bodies and industry to critically review the curriculum to ensure it produces middle-level manpower with practical skills and ethical orientation for the health sector.
He added that the programme would also expand access to higher education for young Nigerians through online learning and flexible pathways.
“This national curriculum critique and validation workshop provides a unique platform for critical engagements, expert review, collaborative dialogue of the proposed foundation certificate in applied health programme.
“This is intended to align the existing structure and pattern of national diploma programmes offered in the Nigerian Colleges of Health Technology,” he said.
Also, the Chairman, Association of Provosts of Colleges of Health Technology and Nursing Sciences, Dr Johnson Ojo commended NBTE for initiating the programme.
Ojo described the workshop as a strategic step toward expanding opportunities in health education for young Nigerians.
He pledged the commitment of colleges of health technology and nursing sciences across the country to implement the programme once formally approved by NBTE. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi
