WorldStage– Dr Rauf Tunji Alausa, the Nigeria’s Minister of Education, has giving insight into the funding of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), disclosing that each trainee receives a monthly stipend of ₦30,000, while accredited training centres receive ₦50,000 per student monthly to support training delivery.
Alausa gave the disclosure during an engagement with the House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnic and Higher Technical Education, chaired by Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda, where he presented updates on the programme’s implementation, achievements, funding, enrolment and accountability mechanisms.
He explained that biometric attendance verification had been introduced to strengthen accountability and ensure that public funds were tied to actual participation. According to him, initial payment delays arose from the implementation of the system, as the Ministry prioritised verifiable attendance records over manual documentation.
He confirmed that the issue had been resolved and payments to trainees and training centres were up to date as of September.
The Minister further stated that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) was responsible for verifying the capacity of centres seeking accreditation. He said only centres that met the prescribed requirements were approved, adding that the process was intended to safeguard training standards, ensure quality delivery and expand access through capable private-sector providers.
Dr Alausa said the programme was designed to translate skills acquisition into tangible economic opportunities, with beneficiaries expected to receive starter packs and relevant equipment upon completing their training.
He cited tailoring and electrical installation as examples of trades in which graduates would receive the tools needed to begin providing services within their communities.
The initiative, he explained, would help beneficiaries apply their skills, establish businesses, earn a livelihood and contribute to local economic development.
Beyond conventional vocational trades, the Minister disclosed that the Federal Government was supporting a Digital Technology Academy currently training 36,000 Nigerians in areas including software development, cybersecurity, natural language processing, information technology automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing.
He said participants had access to international learning platforms and professional certification opportunities associated with Coursera, Google and IBM.
The initiative, according to him, was intended to equip young Nigerians with globally relevant digital competencies, enabling them to access opportunities in the digital economy and provide services to clients in Nigeria and abroad.
The Minister added that the Ministry was supporting improvements in training infrastructure, instructor capacity and modern equipment, while introducing a TVET job portal to connect graduates with prospective employers and strengthen the link between skills training and employment.
