In a strategic move to prioritize skills-based education for national development, the Department of Technology and Science Education (DTSE) of the Federal Ministry of Education recently hosted a high-level strategic dialogue on the Harnessing, Harmonisation, and Collaboration (HHC) of Special Interventions in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The session convened critical stakeholders and development partners including UNESCO, GIZ, UNICEF, the EU, and others.
Declaring the dialogue open, the Director of Technology and Science Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Muyibat Adenike Olodo, emphasized the centrality of TVET and STEMM in the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI). She acknowledged the invaluable contributions of development partners and urged for deeper collaboration to address systemic issues in Nigeria’s TVET and science education landscape.
Dr. Olodo identified major challenges such as outdated curricula, limited industry collaboration, and underfunding, which she said demand a unified and national response. “TVET and STEMM are no longer confined to departmental boundaries; they now represent the innovation and economic engines of our nation,” she said.
She also called on participants to align their inputs with the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Ministerial Committee on Harmonisation of Development Partners’ Programmes, urging that the meeting outcomes be action-driven and nationally coordinated.
Ms. Britta van Erckelens, Head of Programmes for GIZ/SKYE II, echoed the importance of harmonisation and commended the Ministry’s leadership in driving coherence across interventions. She warned against fragmented efforts and highlighted GIZ’s inclusive training initiatives targeting youth, women, and persons with disabilities, particularly in green skills and digital innovation. She also emphasized the importance of private sector involvement for scale and sustainability.
Delivering remarks on behalf of Mr. Albert Mendy, Head of the UNESCO Abuja Office, Mr. Manish Joshi, Regional BEAR III Lead, reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to Nigeria’s TVET transformation. He referenced the BEAR III project—implemented in collaboration with the Republic of Korea—and stressed the need for modern infrastructure, career counselling systems, quality teacher training, and private sector engagement to make TVET a true catalyst for economic empowerment and youth development.
In her closing remarks, Mrs. Gemisola Idowu Olaniyan, Deputy Director of Technical Assistance, thanked all participants for their active engagement and enduring commitment to TVET reforms. She encouraged stakeholders to sustain the momentum and reaffirmed the DTSE’s resolve to ensure collaborative efforts yield measurable and long-term results.
Elijah Adeyemi