Reimagining Technical Education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training for a Skill-Based Nigeria

Abstract

On March 22, 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, officially announced the conversion of all 33 Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTCs) to Federal Technical Colleges (FTCs), with implementation and free education scheduled to begin in the 2025/2026 academic session. This policy marked a renewed effort to revitalize Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to reduce youth unemployment, bridge the skills gap, and build a technologically driven economy. The initiative was designed to address longstanding challenges that had beset Nigeria’s educational system, particularly the disconnect between theoretical instruction and practical skills, as well as issues of inadequate infrastructure, limited industry collaboration, and insufficient funding. To this end, the study explored the evolving trajectory of technical education in Nigeria, focusing on the policy shift from FSTCs to FTCs and its broader implications for the future of TVET. Adopting a hermeneutical and critical analysis methodology, the research was grounded in critical and postcolonial theoretical frameworks to examine the structural and ideological forces that shaped educational reform. It investigated whether this proposed transformation would lead to meaningful skills development or merely result in a nominal change in institutional identity. The findings suggested that while the FTC initiative held considerable promise for promoting entrepreneurship and practical competence among Nigerian youth, its success depended on systemic reforms and sustained political commitment. The study contributed to existing scholarship by presenting TVET as a transformative model for economic empowerment rather than a fallback option for the academically marginalized. It also questioned the sustainability of tuition free education within a policy environment known for inconsistency and underfunding. The study recommended investment in infrastructure, strong industry linkages, and the adoption of critical pedagogies that combined theory with hands on learning. These measures were considered essential for positioning TVET as a strategic tool for national development and long-term employment generation.