By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Federal Government has inaugurated a ministerial implementation committee to oversee the modernisation of laboratories and enhancement of skills development in Nigerian polytechnics.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa while inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Tuesday, said the initiative aimed to phase out obsolete equipment in the polytechnics.

Alausa said the initiative would also introduce industrial-grade engineering facilities and strengthen hands-on technical training across beneficiary institutions.

He explained that the intervention, supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), would cover 37 federal and state polytechnics under the second phase of the Skills-G intervention.

According to him, the programme will provide equipment for mechatronics, robotics, renewable energy systems, advanced telecommunications, electronics and automobile engineering.

“The key objective of this intervention is the modernisation of our laboratories, phasing out obsolete equipment in Nigeria polytechnics and replacing them with industrial grade engineering equipment.

“This being the second phase, the first phase was done in the year 2011 to 2012.

“And now we’re in the second phase, we have 37 polytechnics that will benefit. Unlike the previous TETFUND intervention that focused on building, the Skill-G intervention will focus on the polytechnic laboratory ecosystem,” he said.

The minister added that the reform would also ensure dual certification for polytechnic graduates, combining National Diploma (ND) or Higher National Diploma (HND) with recognised National Skills Qualification certificates.

He said the committee would supervise ongoing skills development interventions in 14 polytechnics, recommend institutions for the third phase in 2026 and monitor the upgrade of engineering workshops in selected institutions.

He stressed the importance of accountability and transparency in the utilisation of intervention funds, noting that some institutions previously procured unusable equipment now kept in storage.

The minister said quarterly reports would be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Education and TETFund, while non-compliant institutions could face sanctions.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, said the committee would revive delayed Skill-G implementation.

Bugaje, who is the committee chairman, said the committee would also ensure proper execution of the 2025 skills intervention and screen polytechnics for the 2026 phase.

He added that the upgrade of engineering workshops would help Nigeria align with global engineering standards under international accords.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to funding the interventions and clarified that earlier delays were linked to ongoing contracts and new local-content requirements.

He assured stakeholders of continued collaboration to improve technical and engineering education in the country. (NAN)

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