The Federal Government of Nigeria has said it will introduce financial incentives for students learning in technical and vocational schools as part of a broader reform to strengthen the country’s workforce.
This was revealed by education minister Tunji Alausa while speaking on Channels television. Alausa outlined a four-step plan aimed at increasing enrolment in vocational institutions and addressing Nigeria’s human capacity gaps.
He confirmed that students in these schools would receive financial support, saying, “We would pay students to go to those schools. We’ve modelled how much we’re going to pay them when we roll the programme out.”
The reform also includes hands-on training, with skilled professionals from various industries mentoring students. “What we will be doing with technical education will be 20% didactic and 80% hands-on training,” the minister explained.
“We’re pre-qualifying the master craft persons from large industries to medium-sized industries and small industries. We’ll pay them for each student every month.” He said
To ensure proper training, the government will deploy performance monitoring officers in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
“We will go and come back to see that those students are being taught properly,” Alausa said.
The minister also revealed that vocational education would be structured into three categories: skill training centres, vocational enterprise institutes, and state and federal technical colleges. He stated that training would be tailored to industry needs, backed by a labour gap analysis.
Additionally, President Bola Tinubu has instructed the ministry to collaborate with the Bank of Industry to provide single-digit credit facilities for graduates of vocational schools, facilitating their transition into entrepreneurship.
Alausa underscored the importance of this initiative in reversing Nigeria’s brain drain and strengthening the country’s workforce.
“In the UK or the US today, a plumber earns more than a doctor,” he noted, emphasising the potential of vocational skills in boosting economic growth.
