HIGHLIGHTS OF MEETING BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET) AND THE PRESIDENT AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF BENCCIMA.HELD ON TUESDAY 28TH NOVEMBER 2023 AT THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, NO. 1, ENADEGHE STREET, OFF BOUNDARY ROAD, GRA, BENIN CITY.
On Tuesday, 28th November 2023, The President Hon. (Barr.) Austin Atakpu and some members of the Council received and interacted with the Executive Secretary of the Board of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr. Terseer Nyulaku and members of his team. The meeting was held at the President’s office in GRA, Benin City.
After the formal introduction of both parties, the TVET Board Executive Secretary unveil the purpose of his visit which he said was to interact with BENCCIMA as a major stakeholder of the TVET project. He stated that it was apparently important to mobilise the Organized Private Sector (OPS) participation and partnership in TVET as this was germane for any technical and vocational training to be successful and useful. While noting that the private sector players are needed not just because they are the employers; but because they are the key social partners in the process. Dr. Terseer Nyulaku stated that his team’s visit to BENCCIMA was to solicit for partnership of the Chamber, especially as the plan to launch the Edo State Technical Talent Development Policy was in progress. He promised to send the draft police document to the Chamber for input.
The TVET Board Executive Secretary stated that though there are Technical Colleges in Edo State but in terms of skills development, they are not yet there. He intimated that when he resumed duty in Benin, he visited and interacted with the Executive Governor to ascertain his level of commitment to the TVET work base programme. He noted that the Governor’s expression and body language gave him assurances of his total commitment and political will to create the enabling environment for the successful implementation of the programme in Edo State.
Dr. Terseer Nyulaku explained that there are two foci areas of the TVET work based apprenticeship programme thus: i) Formal, and ii) Informal apprenticeship
i) Formal Apprenticeship:
The primary focus of the formal apprenticeship is on primary schools. Pupils in the primary school/those of primary school age but not in school would be engaged and sent to relevant companies to work and experience real work environment. In the process, they will be involved in learning technical, academic and employability skills. The aim being to help them (trainees) gain both education and valuable technical skills in their chosen pathways. The programme is structured such that 80% of the apprenticeship engagement would be with the company offering the training, about 15% would be online and 5% classroom instructions at technical colleges in Edo State.
It was explained that at the end of the apprenticeship, the company (trainer), would certify the competencies of the trainees and accordingly refer them for relevant formal certification by the technical colleges. The training company may retain the trainees or otherwise, the certificate will enable them to effectively work anywhere else where their acquired skills are required.
For post primary schools, the students would double as students of Technical colleges where they would on completion of their skill training obtain relevant certificates in their various areas of technical skills.
ii) Informal Apprenticeship:
The Executive Secretary explained that there are two schools of thought in the area of informal apprenticeship, thus:
a) Those who believe in formalizing informal apprenticeship
b) Those who believe in improving the informal apprenticeship rather than formalizing it.
Dr. Terseer Nyulaku opted for the option of improving the informal apprenticeship and not formalizing it. He said that those in informal apprenticeship, e.g. mechanic, welding, fabrication, etc should be structured such that there will be a log book where they tick what they learn on daily basis. In doing so, their progress in the apprenticeship can be effectively monitored. For persons successful trained in this way would be recommended to NABTEB for certification which will qualify them to work in industries where such skills are required.
The Chamber’s team was informed that a draft of Edo State Technical Talent Development
Policy has been made which the Executive Governor is expected to launch on 30th November 2023 but that the date may not be feasible because the Governor was not yet back from his trip to China with the Honourable Commissioner of Education. The Chamber’s team also noted that a TVET Act is on course which will be actioned to the State House of Assembly for possible passage into law.
REMARKS BY BENCCIMA TEAM
The President and members of BENCCIMA who spoke appreciated the Executive Secretary for recognizing the key role of BENCCIMA towards the success of the TVET programme in Edo State. They stressed that for a successful and sustainable Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Edo State, the Organized Private Sector must be fully involved in the formulation of the policy.
The Chamber’steam led by the President, Hon. (Barr.) Austin Atakpu assured the TVET boss that the Organised Private Sector was fully ready to support TVET if the right policy that has the input of the OPS was put in place. The President said that TVET as a programme that covers skills acquisition through apprenticeship and internship/mentorship would only succeed and be sustainable if the OPS is involved to champion the programme. In other words, the OPS will house the programme, give the necessary training and at the end of the day, ensure that the trainees stay through the programme. He stated that the talent development policy should properly address such arrangement for the OPS to have a buy-in. While the BENCCIMA team expressed the importance of the Organized Private Sector being the Chairman of the TVET Board, it was emphasized that filling the position of chairmanship should not be an imposition (by hand picking somebody because he/she is a private sector operator) but should be a recommendation of the Organized Private Sector.
The TVET Board Executive Secretary was accompanied for meeting by Blessing Odion, Director (Planning & Strategic Co-ordination), BTVET; Omeke Onome (Outreach & Career Development), BTVET; and Momodu Peter, Linkages and Partnership while the BENCCIMA President was joined to receive the visitors by the 2nd Deputy President, Barr. Alex Eghosa Aganmwonyi; Chief (Sir) Dr. B.J. Braie, Vice President; Mr. Osayande Igbe, Corporate Vice President; Mr. Napoleon M. (BUA Cement), Corporate Vice President; Mrs. Amen Akenbor (Lapo Microfinance Bank Limited), Corporate Vice President; and Imalingmhe John Yesufu, Director General.
