By Joy Odor
The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu has informed that eighty-eight thousand (88,000) students are currently writing the 2022 National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) certificate.
The Minister gave the information in Abuja on Thursday, while monitoring the 2022 NABTEB examinations at Federal Government College Orozo and Government Technical College, Garki, Abuja.
Represented by the Director Human Resources of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr David Gende, Alhaji Adamu warned Nigerians of demeaning NABTEB Certificate in the country.
He said skills acquisition is what the government is promoting, hence, the need to prepare for skilled work force and take over the Nigerian business and Technical workspace.
The Minister noted that the government is presently directing students towards the sector as option for those who cannot fit into the formal sector, saying the students were encouraged to promote the culture of excellence to be able to defend their certificates.
“People need to stop demeaning this very certificate, so that people can pick up the skills that are required. we need to stop those who are taking over our space you know if those space were available, the young ones who cannot continue after this level, at least have some skills to carry on and take over the space”.
“That’s the way to go. And that’s where we’re directing our students to go those who cannot fit into other professional areas of of their college. There are other sound options that we know is acceptable anywhere, and it’s even contributing greater to the development of our country”
“We’re promoting the culture of excellence. Excellence doesn’t mean you must be the best, excellence simply means you can define whatever you present anywhere and that was all what we want to see our students imbibe because the future is going to be tougher than what we are witnessing today”
“The stage is bigger and they will be competing against others in other spheres of the world. So they should be able to start preparing themselves from now on preparing yourself simply means pushing yourself very hard so that you do your best. Whatever comes out, you should be able to defend it and present it for whatever wherever” He said.
Also speaking shortly after the monitoring, the Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Mrs. Ifeoma Isiugo Abanihe said the 2022 NABTEB registration have significant increase in the enrollment.
According to her, NABTEB since 2018 has been recording increase in numbers of candidates sitting for the exams.
Mrs ifeoma affirmed that the surge began in 2015 when the Board first recorded 55000 enrolments for the exam while it increases steadily to 83000 in 2018.
“Starting from 2018, it was about 55,000 candidates, but this year you can see last year was 83,000 plus so there has been steady increase in enrollment and I think it is because of the realisation that TVET is the way to go”.
“In the world today there is need for skills acquisition there is need for empowerment in skills, self reliance, and it’s at the bottom of development and that is why there’s more realisation that is a very, very crucial aspect of education”She added.
