By Samson Yaki
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has charged Nigerian polytechnics to strictly adhere to their Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) mandate in order to drive national development and address the country’s skills gap.
Dr. Alausa gave the charge on Wednesday in a keynote speech in Abuja at a high-level retreat organized by the Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology (COHEADS).
The summit focused on the theme “Transforming Polytechnic Education in Nigeria: Innovation, Good Governance and Sustainability for National Development”, where key stakeholders in the tertiary education sector gathered to deliberate on the future of technical education in Nigeria.
The minister emphasised that polytechnics were established primarily to provide practical, skills-based education that supports industrial growth, job creation and technological advancement.
He noted that a deviation from this core mandate would undermine the role of polytechnics in national economic transformation.
According to him, the Federal Government remains committed to repositioning TVET institutions to meet global standards and respond to the evolving needs of the labour market.
The Minister declared that polytechnics must no longer be “mere institutions” but “crucibles where innovation meets practicality”. He emphasized their role as strategic hubs for skills development and economic resilience under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”.
He identified specific priority areas for polytechnics to focus on, including, Renewable energy, Agricultural technology, Digital manufacturing, Climate-resilient solutions
Dr. Alausa issued a stern warning against “impunity” in technical institutions. He urged governing councils to prioritize transparency, accountability, and merit-based leadership in their administration.
He announced a special TETFund intervention aimed at upgrading engineering schools within these institutions with modern, industry-standard equipment.
The Minister stressed the need for polytechnic education to move beyond theory and produce “industry-ready” graduates capable of driving job creation and national growth.
He urged institutional heads to strengthen industry linkages, update curricula and prioritise hands-on training for students.
Also speaking at the retreat, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Bugaje, called on the Federal Government to increase funding for the TVET sector to enable polytechnics deliver effectively on their mandate.
Professor Bugaje observed that inadequate funding had continued to limit infrastructure development, equipment procurement and staff capacity building in polytechnics across the country.
He stressed that sustained investment in TVET was critical to producing a skilled workforce capable of supporting Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda.
He noted the historical neglect of TVET in favour of universities but sees a recent revival through reforms.
Bugaje also mentioned the “reinventing” of the NBTE with support from the current Minister of Education.
He disclosed the advanced stage of amending the Polytechnic Act, which would enable polytechnics to offer BTech degrees in science, technology, and engineering, while other programs would keep the HND structure with a path to Master’s degrees.
He also highlighted free technical education in Federal Technical Colleges with stipends, the need for polytechnics to focus on skills, and the significant disparity between technical and basic education institutions.
The COHEADS retreat provided a platform for policy dialogue, peer learning and strategic planning among heads of polytechnics, with participants reaffirming their commitment to strengthening technical and vocational education in Nigeria.