Underperformance Costs NBTE In 2025 Budget Battle

Underperformance Costs NBTE In 2025 Budget Battle

The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has emphasized that government agencies must demonstrate effective performance before requesting additional funding in 2025. Fuad Laguda,…Underperformance Costs NBTE In 2025 Budget Battle

Chairman of the Committee, made this assertion during a session with Professor Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), at the 2025 budget defense. Laguda stressed the need for accountability, urging agencies to efficiently utilize available resources as a prerequisite for seeking more.

“Performance is key to progress in 2025,” Laguda stated. “While it’s widely acknowledged that polytechnics are underfunded, we must evaluate our performance honestly. Have we maximized the resources we already have? The answer often reveals significant gaps in our delivery.”

He underscored the importance of technical institutions in equipping the workforce essential to Nigeria’s economic development, calling for enhanced collaboration and innovation in polytechnic syllabuses and programs.

NBTE’s Funding and Staffing Challenges
Professor Bugaje highlighted the agency’s pressing need for increased budget allocation to address staffing shortages. With only 330 personnel responsible for supervising over 700 institutions nationwide, he called for urgent action to strengthen NBTE’s capacity.

“Our staff strength is critically low compared to similar agencies. We need more personnel to manage visits and ensure effective oversight of the institutions under our purview,” Bugaje said.

Bugaje also addressed NBTE’s internally generated revenue (IGR), noting that it relies on service fees from accreditation activities. Despite increasing these fees from ₦75,000 to ₦150,000 per program, the agency only generated ₦25 million in 2024, which he described as “disappointingly low.”

He advocated for the introduction of modern programs to align with contemporary demands, emphasizing the importance of equipping institutions to meet the nation’s technical manpower needs.

Collaborative Efforts and Accountability
Laguda called for proactive measures by polytechnic leaders to adapt their offerings to community-specific requirements, urging stakeholders to prioritize development initiatives that justify increased funding.

The Committee assured NBTE of its commitment to supporting education reform while holding all agencies accountable for measurable results.

Dirisu Yakubu has over 12 years of experience covering political parties, the National Assembly, sports, transportation, and more. He is currently a reporter with The ireporteronline

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