Bugaje Hits The Ground Running @NBTE

BY SARAH ONAJA-LIKITA

The recent appointment of Professor Idris M. Bugaje as the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) by President Muhammadu Buhari has brought a new vista of hope for the retooling of technical education and making it relevant for the nation’s education. As someone that is well noted for his many strides when he served as the Rector of the Kaduna Polytechnic before his eventual elevation to head the NBTE, Prof Bugaje’s appointment is seen as a fitting act in appointing round pegs in round holes.

There is no doubt that Bugaje’s appointment is a fitting answer to the many challenges confronting the regulator of technical education in Nigeria. Apart from poor management and scarcity of funds bedeviling technical education, the non-accreditation of programmes in the nation’s polytechnics and technical colleges are some of the problems that require urgent attention.

More worrisome, the low morale of NBTE workers, arising from paucity of funds and inability to sponsor staff members for local and foreign courses were some of the challenges that almost crippled the efficiency of the Board known for its excellent performance in the development of technical education.

For the NBTE to work better and oversee the development of the polytechnics and other allied institutions under its watch, the provision of necessary infrastructures and other logistics is key to achieving success. When considered against the backdrop that the only clinic belonging to the Board is in the state of a near collapse and almost all vehicles belonging to the Board grounded, it is obvious that the new NBTE boss has a lot on his hands. More distressing is the situation where the Board is compelled to provide funds to polytechnics seeking accreditation. In the absence of funds, the Board cannot but be a husk of its former self.

It is clear that the Board‘s 100 percent dependence on the Federal Government has thrown the NBTE in a financial quandary. This is further worsened when dwindling revenues accruing to the government is posing grave threats to the economic survival of the country.

 In the past characterised by stalled educational development and inability of the Board to send staffers on local and foreign training which previously made them relevant in discharging their responsibilities, the inability of the NBTE to generate revenues despite openings to do so has not spelled out any spectre of hope for the Board.

Considering the giant strides of his leadership footprints when he was in charge of the Kaduna Polytechnic, the erudite scholar whose silent achievement earned him the headship of the NBTE, is not letting go of any chances to ensure a repeat of what he achieved when he served as rector of the premier polytechnic in the North.

He comes to his new appointment with a resolution to turn things around and ensure all-round development for the Board. In confronting the challenges that have bedeviled the NBTE, the new helmsman recognises the fact that there will always be a way if there is the will. In view of the paucity of funding, he has resolved to utilise all revenue generating outlets, including thinking outside the box, to ensure the bolstering of finances for the Board.

NBTE has landed properties in some parts of the country and the lukewarm attitude by previous managements of the Board has almost led to the revocation of such landed property. For a Board that suffers from funding in carrying its activities, the new Executive Secretary is leaving no stone unturned to ensure collaboration with relevant financial institutions and partners to fully develop such landed property to provide necessary financial respite for the Board.

Despite the continued discordant tunes over the dichotomy between holders of first degrees and Higher National Diplomas, even after the formal passage of a bill by the Senate on the issue, the Board under Prof Bugaje is committed to following up the issue to ensure speedy assent by President Muhammadu Buhari and eventual gazetting by Federal Bureau of Establishment so as to eliminate the bottlenecks faced by polytechnic graduates in the country.

On the conversion of polytechnics to universities for the purposes of awarding degrees, the new Executive Secretary is of the view that such polytechnics could still be identified as polytechnics in status without necessarily being turned into universities. Against the backdrop that many countries still maintain polytechnics that award degrees without changing their status, the new management under Prof Bugaje is committed to encouraging Nigerian polytechnics to award degrees, while still maintaining their mandates in providing skilled manpower at different levels of the country.

In a modern society faced with the task of evolving a new curriculum for technical education, a lot is required by the new NBTE leadership. Recognising the need to collaborate with relevant organisations, both local and global, the new NBTE boss is resolved to engage other partners, including UNICEF, amongst others, in coming up  with a curriculum that shall address current challenges in the technological drive of the nation.

Following the inability of the board to sponsor workers to attend seminars and conferences, the NBTE leadership is determined to revive its capacity to sponsor its staff for seminars and worship in a bid to enhance quality of its service delivery and provide a good working environment for both teaching and non-teaching staff.

There is no doubt that considering the sterling performance of Prof Bugaje when he served as the Rector of the Kaduna Polytechnic, a fresh wind of development is poised to blow across the NBTE. There is no doubt that the myriad of forces that have combined to render the Board comatose is about to be confronted headlong. Fortunately, Bugaje has told NBTE workers to be ready to go the extra mile in resuscitating the Board that had seen better days.

Consumed in the passion and vision to improve the fortunes of the Board for a brighter future, Prof Bugaje is about turning the wheels of progress in furthering the objectives of the NBTE. The new Executive Secretary is letting no stone unturned to change the narrative of the Board in advancing the objectives of technical education in Nigeria. As the consummate technocrat and academic prepares to rise NBTE above its decadent present, not a few are of the view that someone with the right mindset has arrived to resuscitate the fortunes of the Board.

Onoja-Likita, a public commentator, send in this piece from Kaduna