FG to Pay N45,000 Monthly to Technical College Students in Bold Education Reform

In a major push to revamp Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nigeria, the Federal Government has announced a monthly grant of N45,000 for students enrolled in technical colleges across the country.

The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Idris Bugaje, made this known during an interview in Abuja while reflecting on the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after two years in office.

Bugaje explained that the initiative is designed to make technical education more attractive than traditional university pathways by removing financial barriers and incentivizing skill acquisition.

“The government will cover tuition fees, pay monthly stipends, support industry-based supervisors (master class instructors), and fund skill certification,” he said.

According to him, this all-inclusive support aims to reposition TVET as a viable and respected career path, offering young Nigerians a route to secure employment both locally and internationally.

Bugaje described the development as a rebirth of technical education in Nigeria, recalling that TVET once enjoyed strong government backing in the early post-independence era. However, support dwindled over the decades, leading to a decline in the number of technical colleges—from a vibrant system to just 129 institutions today, compared to over 15,000 senior secondary schools.

“We’re witnessing a resurrection of TVET. The Federal Government is determined to bring it back to life,” he said.

To fund this ambitious programme, N120 billion has been allocated under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Bugaje clarified that the monthly N45,000 support is not a loan but a non-repayable grant meant to motivate and empower students.

To ensure long-term sustainability, the Ministry of Education is currently drafting a bill to establish the National Skills Fund under a newly proposed Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). The bill, once passed, will fund both public and private TVET institutions nationwide.

“This is not just a promise; it’s a transformation in motion. We’re building a future where skilled workers are the backbone of Nigeria’s development,” Bugaje concluded.

Source News
Punch

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