NBTE, Cisco Academy to Train 500 Lecturers for New HND Programmes

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), in collaboration with Cisco Academy, has launched an extensive training program aimed at equipping over 500 computer science lecturers with the necessary skills to implement newly developed Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes.

In a recent statement, NBTE revealed that the new programmes are the result of unbundling the traditional HND Computer Science curriculum into specialized fields designed to meet the demands of the modern digital landscape.

The virtual opening ceremony for this initiative, held on the Cisco Webex platform, brought together lecturers from 113 institutions nationwide.

Aliyu Hassan Imafidor, General Manager of the NBTE Centre of Excellence for TVET, highlighted the critical importance of this training in his welcome address. He emphasized that the program is essential in empowering lecturers to deliver the new HND programmes effectively. Imafidor urged participants to fully engage in the training, noting that the skills acquired would significantly enhance their teaching capabilities and contribute to the successful implementation of the updated curricula.

Idris Muhammad Bugaje, Executive Secretary of NBTE, formally inaugurated the workshop, stating, “This program is not just about capacity building; it is a crucial part of our broader initiative to modernize our TVET curricula and ensure that our graduates are prepared to meet the needs of today’s industries.”

The new HND programmes include “HND Cyber Security and Data Protection,” “HND Networking and Cloud Computing,” and “HND Software and Web Development.”

Bugaje also announced an upcoming training session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Cisco, which will prepare lecturers to implement the new HND Artificial Intelligence curriculum. Participation in this and similar training programmes will be a prerequisite for resource inspection and accreditation of the new HND programmes, ensuring that institutions are equipped to provide education that meets global standards.

Imoh Akpan, Project Manager of Cisco Academy, pointed out that over 20 million learners worldwide have participated in Cisco Networking Academy courses, including over 540,000 students in Nigeria, with 40 percent being women. Akpan encouraged Nigerian lecturers to enhance their technical skills and stay updated with industry trends to maintain their relevance.

The statement also disclosed that the training, conducted by the University of Jos Cisco Academy, is expected to significantly impact the quality of computer science education in Nigeria, aligning it with global trends and industry requirements.

Key stakeholders who attended the ceremony underscored the training’s significance in enhancing the quality of education in Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.