Worried by the lackadaisical attitude of youths to technical education, the Registrar of the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Prof Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe, has called for an increased emphasis and enlightenment on the benefits of Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) and training at all levels in the country.
Speaking on Monday, in Benin, on the occasion of the release of results of the 2021 Ordinary and Advanced Level certificate examinations for private students, Prof Abanihe-Isiguzo listed the challenges affecting technical education as the stigmatisation of TVET which affects enrollment; and inadequate reward system for learners and graduates of TVET.
She also listed gross imbalance between a number of technical colleges and conventional secondary schools; and inadequate funding of TVET programmes and institutions as other challenges affecting the growth of technical education in the country.
She disclosed that out of the 38,793 candidates who enrolled for the examination, 38,639 candidates sat for the examination, representing 99.60 per cent of the total.
In terms of number of credit passes obtained, she said that the 25,915 candidates representing 76.30%< obtained five credits and above including English Language and Mathematics while 29,923 candidates or 88.1% scored five credits and above with English Language and Mathematics.
She said that these performances are statistically similar to the 2020 November/December examination, where 21,175candidates representing 75.72% obtained five credits and above including English Language and Mathematics and 25,884 candidates, representing 92.42% of all the candidates that sat for the examinations obtained five credits and above with or without English Language and Mathematics.
The registrar however noted that 197 candidates representing 0.51 per cent of the total candidates that sat for the examination were found to be briefed in examination malpractice, an improvement compared to 250 candidates or 0.77 per cent who sat in the previous year.
Mrs Abanihe-Isiguzo reiterated the determination of the board to make more effort by stepping up training of examination personnel and use of technology to further check examination fraud.
She added: “The principal objective of TVET is to train youths and adults alike to develop relevant skills needed for today’s labour market and for academic progress.”
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