The Federal Government has announced plans to introduce financial incentives for students in technical and vocational schools as part of a reform to strengthen Nigeria’s workforce.
The Minister of Education,Tunji Alausa revealed this on Channels Television, outlining a four-step plan to boost enrolment in vocational institutions and address the country’s human capacity gaps.
“We would pay students to go to those schools. We’ve modelled how much we’re going to pay them when we roll the programme out,” Alausa said.
The initiative includes practical training, with industry professionals mentoring students. “What we will be doing with technical education will be 20% didactic and 80% hands-on training,” he explained.
To ensure quality, performance monitoring officers will be deployed across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. “We will go and come back to see that those students are being taught properly,” Alausa added.
Vocational education will be structured into three categories: skill training centres, vocational enterprise institutes, and state and federal technical colleges. Training will align with industry needs, based on a labour gap analysis.
Additionally, he revealed that President Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Education to partner with the Bank of Industry to provide single-digit credit facilities for vocational school graduates, supporting their transition into entrepreneurship.
Alausa emphasized the importance of vocational education in reducing brain drain and strengthening Nigeria’s workforce.
“In the UK or the US today, a plumber earns more than a doctor,” he noted, highlighting the economic potential of skilled labour.