By PHILIP YATAI

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has requested security and anti-graft agencies to close down private Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions operating without license.

Its Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, said this in a statement in Kaduna on Wednesday.

He said the move had become necessary to address proliferation of illegal private TVET schools across the country.

Bugaje said private institutions in Nigeria must be established in line with the provisions of National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Amendment Act CAP E3 LFN 2004.

He said that there had been proliferation of private Polytechnics, Colleges or Schools of Health Technology and similar TVET institutions all over the country as institutions of higher education.

Bugaje said they were awarding certificates, diplomas and some even degree qualifications without Federal Government’s approval and operational licenses.

“This has become worrisome to the Board considering the poor quality of training offered by these unaccredited institutions which have not been evaluated against the national minimum standards or benchmarks.

“In most cases, these institutions do not have adequate physical facilities, staffing, teaching and instructional aids, and conducive environment that befit the status of tertiary institutions.

“Therefore, the board has mandated security and anti-graft agencies to close down any private polytechnic, college or School of Health Technology and similar TVET institutions operating without the Federal Ministry of Education’s approval and license,” he said.

Bugaje said the illegal institutions usually claimed to be affiliated to local or foreign tertiary institutions to offer a wide range of programmes without commensurate resources on ground.

He advised the public to desist from seeking admissions into unapproved TVET institutions, addicting that they should verify accredited TVET institutions at the NBTE website:www.nbte.gov.ng.

He said that the list was being updated regularly to ensure that all Nigerians are adequately informed and have access to only approved and accredited TVET Institutions.

Bugaje urged health professional regulatory or registration bodies under the Federal Ministries of Health and Environment, to note that only accredited private institutions were permitted to offer health professional training programmes. (NAN)