The Special Adviser to the Governor of Ogun State on Technical and Vocational Education, Prof. Joseph Odemuyiwa has urged technicians and artisans in the State to key into obtaining National Business and Technical Examination’s (NABTEB) Modular Trade Certification for competency.

Odemuyiwa made this known at a media parley in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, saying the certificates were meant for practising artisans in the informal sector for them to be viable and proficient in the society.

The skill certificates are also used in admission into higher institutions.

“We have other certificates as well but the only one I will like to mention is the Modular Trade Certificate (MTC) which is for artisans and for anybody, even a university student who want to have skills qualification so you have the academic certificate as well as skills qualification.

“We are working very hard to encourage Nigerians to take interest in skills certificate. Everybody wants to go to the universities and higher institutions and obtain certificate that is good, but without skills the dream of Nigeria to be one of the 20 greatest world economies in the world cannot be achieved. That is why NABTEB certificate is important”, he said.

Odemuyiwa, in a statement signed by his Press Officer, Mrs. Bola Sobola, pointed out that Ogun State had produced not less than 5,000 trained and certified technicians and artisans in the last two years.

According to him, “there is no way we will intervene in the education sector through the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), without relating with NABTEB, which is the examination body that is established for certification and competence of technicians, artisans all over Nigeria “.

He further noted that NABTEB stands for National Business and Technical Examinations Board, saying It is another Nigerian government agency that conducts the National Business Certificate (NBC) and National Technical Certificate (NTC) examinations for students who want to pursue vocational or technical education, and NABTEB was established in 1992 to promote technical and business skills among Nigerian youths.

Odemuyiwa said that NABTEB exam is taken by students who have completed their three-year technical or business education program in secondary schools or technical colleges, noted that it tests their knowledge and skills in various trade subjects such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical installation, catering, etc.

He said that the exam is held once a year: in May/June for both school and private candidates, and the exam also consists of two parts: theory and practical, noted that theory part is written in paper and pencil format, while the practical part involves performing tasks related to the trade subjects.

The Governor’s aide hinted that the present administration had been working effortlessly in turning around Technical and Vocational Education in the State, reiterating government’s continuous drive towards boosting the capacity of the trainees.