Rabat - Nigeria’s National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has reported plans to partner with Morocco to promote a capacity-building approach among Nigerian youth.
A Nigerian delegation, led by NBTE Executive Secretary Idris Bugaje, paid a visit this week to Casablanca’s Office of Vocational and Employment Promotion to learn more from Morocco.
In a statement to the Nigerian media, Bugaje noted that the Moroccan capacity-building approach is “very good,” especially for sub-tertiary training.
The executive explained that Morocco is enrolling young people aged 15 in skills for vocational training programs that last up to six years. The trainees are later exported to Europe and other countries, serving as a “huge source of foreign exchange” to the country.
Rabat and Lagos expect to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to “facilitate the training of lecturers and assessors in Morocco as a collaborative effort [and] equip Nigerian youth with skills,” Bugaje said.
The NBTE chief added that the draft MoU was presented before Nigeria’s minister of education for approval.
“As soon as this is done, Nigeria and Morocco will work together to promote and equip Nigeria youths with skills,” he added.
Earlier this month, NBTE made a proposal for the provision of funding for Nigeria’s National Occupational Standards (NOS) and skill development.
Arguing in favor of the funding, Bugaje stated that “skills have become the center stage of employment all over the world,” adding that, “the relevance of universities and polytechnics, conventional ones are diminishing by the day.”
Nigeria’s partnership with Morocco underlines the country’s educational reforms and fosters bilateral relations with Rabat beyond the energy and fertilizer industries.