By Ngozi Nwankwo
Federal Government, in collaboration with Singapore’s Institute of Education, has commenced a capacity-building programme to strengthen the delivery of Technical and Vocational Education and Training,TVET, across Nigeria through the training of instructors and educators.
The initiative, tagged the “Train the Trainers (Pedagogy and Assessment) Programme,” is a 10-day intensive training organised by the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Board for Technical Education,NBTE, and the Institute of Education, Singapore.
The programme is being implemented in two phases, with the first cohort of 60 TVET teachers from federal and state institutions currently undergoing training in Abuja, while another 60 participants will undertake the programme in Lagos.
Speaking with journalists during the training in Abuja, the National Coordinator, Special Programmes, Office of the Minister of Education, Adebayo Onigbanjo, said the initiative was designed to equip Nigerian educators with modern pedagogical and assessment skills that would improve the quality of technical education nationwide.
He explained that participants would return to their institutions to train other instructors under a cascading model, creating a multiplier effect that would enhance teaching and learning across technical colleges.
According to Onigbanjo, the programme is part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to expand the country’s pool of qualified technical instructors and meet the growing demand for skilled professionals.
He said the initiative was also aimed at repositioning the TVET sector as a key driver of economic growth, job creation and industrial development.
“We are working with the Institute of Technical Education Services in Singapore to develop capacity for TVET in Nigeria. This training focuses on pedagogy and assessment, equipping teachers with the best methods for technical instruction,” he said.
Onigbanjo disclosed that more than 1.3 million Nigerians registered for technical skills training when the initiative was launched last year, underscoring the need to rapidly expand the country’s teaching capacity.
“We need more trainers. Those being trained today will return to their schools and train their colleagues, allowing us to scale up capacity across the country,” he added.
Also speaking, the Technical Assistant to the Minister of Education on TVET, Dr. Nabila Mohamed, said the programme was designed to shift technical education from theory-based instruction to competency-based practical learning.
She said participants would be exposed to modern teaching methods that would better prepare students for the workplace.
“The biggest takeaway is making training competency-based. Rather than focusing mainly on theory, teachers will integrate practical skills that prepare students for employment while learning effective methods of delivering those skills,” she said.
Manager of the Academic Pedagogy Programme at Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education Services, Choo Poh Lian, said the training was focused on strengthening teachers’ instructional skills rather than teaching specific trades.
She said participants would learn practical demonstration techniques, student engagement strategies, effective feedback methods and competency-based assessment aligned with industry standards.
“We are sharing how Singapore teaches practical skills so that graduates become workplace-ready. We are focusing on pedagogy—how teachers demonstrate, guide students through practical tasks, provide constructive feedback and assess competencies based on industry performance criteria,” she said.
One of the participants, Odebode Adegoke of the Federal Science and Technical College, Ijebu-Imushin, Ogun State, described the programme as timely, saying it had exposed teachers to modern instructional approaches that would improve the quality of technical education.
He said the training had deepened participants’ understanding of competency-based instruction and assessment, adding that the practical methods introduced would make learning more engaging and responsive to industry needs.
The programme, which runs from June 29 to July 10, is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s TVET system and equip graduates with industry-relevant skills to support national economic development.
