By Aaron Ossai
The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has called for improved cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education to strengthen legislative oversight of the Federal Government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.
The call followed a meeting between the committee and the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, in Abuja on Tuesday, where he disclosed that more than 250,000 Nigerians were receiving skills training at about 1,200 centres nationwide.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Fuad Kayode Laguda, said the ministry had failed to respond to six letters sent between January 2025 and July 2026 requesting information on the programme’s implementation and progress.
He said the committee had invited the ministry to a meeting in July, but neither the minister nor any representative attended, forcing the lawmakers to issue a final summons in August.
“We wrote six different correspondences on the same subject matter, requesting status reports on TVET’s activities and programmes. We did not get any response from your ministry,” Laguda said.
Responding, Alausa apologised, explaining that he had not personally received the letters because of an administrative breakdown involving the desk officer responsible for National Assembly correspondence.
The minister said the officer had been transferred and pledged to investigate why the correspondence was not attended to. He also assured the lawmakers of improved communication and cooperation with the legislature.
Following a closed-door session with the minister and ministry officials, Laguda described the meeting as productive, expressing satisfaction with the explanations provided.
He, however, stressed the need for the committee to obtain detailed information on the programme to enable it to assess implementation, identify challenges and ensure accountability in the use of public funds.
The chairman said the lawmakers intended to examine the programme’s funding, selection and monitoring of training centres, quality of instruction and employment opportunities available to beneficiaries.
“Information is power. Having more knowledge about what is going on will aid us in carrying out our expected duties and oversight functions,” he said.
Speaking after the meeting, Alausa said the administration of President Bola Tinubu had revived technical and vocational education as part of efforts to address unemployment and the shortage of skilled workers.
According to him, the TVET initiative currently operates in about 1,200 training centres, with more than 250,000 Nigerians enrolled.
Under the programme, each trainee receives a monthly stipend of N30,000, while participating centres receive N50,000 per student monthly to support training delivery.
Alausa said the funding was intended to help centres employ qualified instructors, acquire modern equipment and upgrade facilities to provide practical, industry-relevant skills.
He disclosed that the ministry had reduced the number of trades covered by the programme from nearly 60 to about 22 priority areas, including fashion design, solar photovoltaic installation, electrical installation and plumbing.
The minister said the initiative had attracted significant interest, with the first enrolment exercise recording about 1.3 million applicants and the second attracting nearly 1.4 million applications.
He explained that admissions had been restricted by funding limitations and the capacity of available training centres, despite the large number of prospective trainees.
Beyond skills acquisition, Alausa said the government was developing pathways to help beneficiaries secure jobs or establish businesses.
He disclosed that a job portal had been created to enable trainees to upload their résumés and connect with employers seeking workers with relevant technical skills.
The ministry is also collaborating with the Bank of Industry to support beneficiaries interested in setting up businesses.
“We don’t just want them to be job seekers. We want them to be micro-entrepreneurs and do business themselves,” he said.
According to the minister, the government is working towards a private sector-led TVET system in which businesses would play a greater role in skills development and employment, while the public sector provides funding, regulation and an enabling environment.
The programme is designed to equip Nigerians with practical skills, promote entrepreneurship and bridge the gap between technical education and labour market requirements.
The committee is expected to continue engaging the ministry to obtain further details on implementation, monitor the use of funds and assess the programme’s impact on beneficiaries and the wider economy.
