…Inaugurates NBTE BoardThe Federal Government has called on polytechnics to gradually phase out non-technical programmes that fall outside their statutory mandate. The Minister stressed that Technical and Vocational Education and Training is no longer an alternative pathway to university education but a strategic national priority. He noted that no nation can achieve meaningful industrialisation without a strong base of technicians, technologists, artisans, fabricators, automation specialists, machine operators and other skilled professionals. He explained that the initiative would enhance employability, expand access to finance, create opportunities for government contracts and strengthen labour mobility within the ECOWAS region. Responding on behalf of the Governing Board, its Chairman, Prof. Babatunde L. Salako, identified changing the long-held perception of technical education as a second-choice option as one of the Board’s foremost responsibilities.