NBTE Directs Polytechnics to Establish Distance Learning Centres
NBTE Directs Polytechnics to Establish Distance Learning Centres
By ALEX UANGBAOJE
The regulatory body of Nigerian Polytechnic, National Board for Technical Education, NBTE has directed the 556 Polytechnics and Monotechnics under its control to establish an Open Distance Learning, ODL centres in their respective institutions.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Dr. Mas’udu Adamu Kazaure gave the directive in his keynote address at the introductory workshop on flexible skills development (FSD) and delivery in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) held in Kaduna yesterday.
Kazaure said “the programme is aimed at making education accessible to a broad range of students, and enabling them to make the most of it in the time frame and course structure that is right.”
According to the NBTE Boss, “there is no policy or legislation that hinders implementation of FSD programme in the TVET sector; rather the model is seen as complimenting the federal government’s effort in expanding access to TVET.
“The participation of the Auchi Polytechnic which is an institution under the boards purview and top management of this programme attest to these fact.”
While noting that the role of the polytechnic is training, research and community development, Kazaure said that a lot has been achieved in training and research but little in community development.
He however said “in most East African countries, FSD is used as a strong tool of improving the lives of rural communities.
Earlier, the facilitator of the workshop, Dr. Mead Alison Richardson from Commonwealth of Learning, COL, made presentation on the Open and Distance Learning, ODL.
Meanwhile, the workshop which had in attendance heads and representatives of various polytechnic from across the country is to listen to presentation about implementation of ODL from the Rector of Auchi Polytechnic, Dr. Philipa O. Idogho.
