Abuja: Speaker of House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has pledged the commitment of the house to passing appropriate legislation that will foster digital learning and technical education in the country. Abbas gave the pledge at a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education in Abuja on Monday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the hearing focused on four bills seeking to establish the National Vocational Centre; Federal Artificial Intelligence Institute, Aliade, Benue; Federal College of Science and Technology, Askira-Uba, Borno; and National Institute for Technical and Vocational Education, Wamba, Nasarawa State. Represented by Rep. Auwalu Gwalabe (APC-Bauchi), Abbas emphasized the need for strong collaboration between the government and stakeholders to advance polytechnic education, which remains crucial for Nigeria’s industrial development.
Abbas noted the increasing recognition of the vital role that science, technical, and vocation
al education play in national development. He stressed that with new technologies like artificial intelligence emerging, educational institutions must equip youths with practical skills to thrive in a technologically-driven job market. He expressed hope that the proposed institutions would provide quality technical education, address skills gaps, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, and support government efforts to diversify the economy.
The speaker reiterated the house’s dedication to ensuring access to quality education, improving educational infrastructure, and enhancing teacher quality. He highlighted that the public hearing reflects the house’s commitment to prioritizing technical and vocational education as part of ongoing social sector reforms led by the current administration.
Earlier, Rep. Fuad Laguda (APC-Lagos), Chairman of the committee, stated that the bills aim to enhance Nigeria’s educational development and promote sustainable human capital development, which is essential for a self-rel
iant society. He stressed the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in driving economic growth and the need for a technologically empowered workforce to tackle issues like unemployment and poverty.
Laguda emphasized the objective of establishing vocational, entrepreneurship, and technical skills acquisition institutions to train technicians and middle-level personnel, acting as catalysts for rapid industrialization. He urged stakeholders to contribute positively to the discussions on the bills to enrich the proposed laws, which address critical economic issues in Nigeria.