Date: 2016-12-18

Dr Adamu Kazaure, the Executive Secretary for the National Board for Technical Education (NABTE), has said that more jobs losses were probably on the way as Nigeria fights harder to end the economic recession.

Kazaure stated this on Saturday in Ilorin, while delivering a lecture at the 23rd combined convocation of the Kwara State Polytechnic.

He spoke on the theme "Re-thinking the Future of Nigeria Polytechnic in an Economic Recession: The Role of National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF).

According to him, there are signs of recovery, but the full effects of the recession on employment are probably not yet known.

"Stimulus measures seem to have cushioned the immediate effects, but the time lag probably means there are more job losses to come," he said.

The NBTE boss explained that there was no sector of the economy that was immune to the crisis, urging the Polytechnics in the country to strengthen their capacity to forecast skills and match them to available jobs.

He charged the institutions to develop courses for managers of small and medium-size enterprises to help them devise strategies to cope with the crisis.

"As part of longer-term response to the need to develop skills, NBTE recognised the potential of validating and recognising knowledge, skills and competencies that have been learnt outside the formal education training system." He further advocated for flexible learning pathways, empowering people through choices and adopt the system of work-based learning.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other contributors stressed the need for assessment based on skill, competency and intelligence rather than certificate. They urged Nigeria to see skill acquisition as antidote to the prevailing economic crisis.