Nkechinyere Ewa-okpara
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in Kaduna, Nigeria, has urged the federal government to support private technical institutions in rural areas to provide educational opportunities for underprivileged individuals.
Hussaini Musa, a senior program officer from the NBTE head office in Kaduna, made this appeal during an evaluation visit to Blessed Martin’s College of Nursing Sciences in Ohatekwe, Amegu Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State with his team.
The visit was initiated by the institution, which aims to start awarding National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates.
Musa highlighted that if the federal government could provide financial support to private technical institutions, it would help subsidize school fees, making education more accessible to local communities.
The evaluation team included representatives from both nursing and general education sectors, and Musa affirmed that the college is ready to proceed.
“Government institutions are not sufficient on their own,” he stated. “This is why we appreciate the emergence of private institutions like this, which help support the government in providing education, particularly for our indigent citizens.”
He further articulated that there are various ways the government can assist private institutions. Support could help address any shortcomings they may face, enabling them to avoid taking out loans from banks, which ultimately increases costs for students.
Musa emphasized the importance of making education accessible to grassroots communities, noting that if the government intervenes, it could subsidize educational costs, thereby easing the financial burden on students.
