The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has announced that 29,260 students have enrolled for the 2025 nationwide Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) examination into Federal technical colleges, marking a significant increase from previous years.
NABTEB Registrar, Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, disclosed this on Saturday during the monitoring of the examination at the Federal Technical College, Uromi, Edo State. The examination targets students transitioning from Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) to Senior Secondary School (SSS 1).
According to Mr. Osaigbovo Pius, Director of Research and Quality Assurance Department who represented the NABTEB Registrar, the 2025 enrollment figure of 29,260 represents a substantial increase compared to the 7,547 students enrolled in 2024.
Government Incentives Boost Technical Education Enrollment
The dramatic increase in enrollment has been attributed to new federal government incentives aimed at boosting Technical and Vocational Education and Training across the country. The NABTEB official confirmed that examination results would be released within three weeks.
"This initiative is a flagship program of the Federal Ministry of Education designed to equip young Nigerians with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship," Pius explained. "Through partnerships with certified training centers across the country, the initiative offers tuition-free training, monthly stipends, and start-up support for selected trades in high-demand sectors."
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Education Minister Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa for the new TVET initiative, noting that the incentives have "brought life into the technical colleges" and significantly increased awareness and interest in technical education.
Restructuring Technical Education in Nigeria
A key aspect of the initiative involves phasing out Junior Secondary schools from technical colleges, transforming the curriculum into a three-year program from SSS 1 to SSS 3. The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) will finance the program's incentives.
"With this initiative, the Federal Government is phasing out Junior Secondary schools from the technical colleges. It is now going to be a three-year programme from the Senior Secondary school, SSS 1 to SSS 3," Pius stated.
Upon completion, students will receive dual certification from NABTEB: the standard NTC/NBTC technical school certificates and a competency-based skill certification. The restructured program will emphasize practical skills, with 80 percent of the curriculum focused on technical training and only 20 percent on theory.
"The federal government wants to give an individual a survival skill, a skill that is relevant, a skill that makes them employers of labour and be useful to themselves and the society," Pius added.
Mrs. Igwe Amy Kalu, Director (education) and Principal of the technical college, commended the conduct of candidates during the examination and encouraged them to perform their best, noting that the examination arrangements were designed to prevent malpractice.
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