Education Minister Directs NBTE and NERDC to Develop Skills Curriculum

By AmforGod J. Olisa

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has tasked the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) with developing a comprehensive skills curriculum for nationwide adoption and implementation.

Speaking at a pre-validation meeting of stakeholders on the National Policy on Skills Development in Abuja, Prof. Mamman emphasized the urgency of the task. He instructed the agencies to have the skills curriculum ready before the commencement of the next academic session in September. According to the minister, implementing this curriculum in schools will be crucial in addressing the learning crisis across the country.

Prof. Mamman also voiced his concerns about the recent looting in Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto, which occurred during the #EndBadGovernance protests. He pointed out that many of the looters were young Nigerians lacking essential skills. He stressed that exposing young people to skills development is the key solution to bridging this gap.

“The idea of this pre-validation meeting is for the ministry to address the learning crisis,” Mamman stated, underscoring the importance of equipping young Nigerians with the skills necessary for their future success.