ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION TO MY HONOURABLE MINISTER My Honourable Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa,

ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION TO MY HONOURABLE MINISTER My Honourable Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, I wish to add an important historical perspective to my earlier submission concerning the restructuring, rebranding and recognition of NABTEB, NTC and NBC within Nigeria's tertiary education and Direct Entry admission system. At the relevant time, I, LAWAL JAMIU BELLO, served as the sole consultant to the A-Level Committee in Nigeria. Mr. Damilola Bamiro served as the Secretary, while Prof. Olabode Popoola served as the Deputy/Vice-Chairman of the A-Level Committee. I cannot presently recall the name of the Chairman, except that, to the best of my recollection, he was one of the former Vice-Chancellors from Northern Nigeria. I state this because I participated directly in the discussions. At our meeting, we did not recommend that NABTEB's NTC and NBC qualifications should be disconnected, condemned or abandoned. On the contrary, I personally presented a recommendation that the relevant NABTEB technical and business qualifications should be considered and recognised for appropriate Direct Entry admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions. As I recall, the motion received the support of the meeting. The issue surrounding the former NABTEB GCE A-Level was different. There were challenges surrounding its continuation and recognition at the time. However, I have always believed that the answer should not simply be to abandon a Nigerian educational product because it encountered administrative or structural difficulties. Nigeria has knowledgeable professors, administrators, policymakers and technical experts capable of transforming a programme from having no clear route into becoming a strong pillar of the education system. WHY NOT RESTRUCTURE IT AS A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GCE A-LEVEL? My Honourable Minister, I believe this matter deserves another national review. Instead of allowing the idea behind NABTEB GCE A-Level to disappear completely, the Federal Government should examine the possibility of restructuring, standardising and repositioning it as a Federal Government GCE A-Level, subject to all necessary legal, regulatory and academic requirements. Nigeria already recognises different A-Level and advanced admission pathways, including domestic and international qualifications. Therefore, why should Nigeria not develop and strengthen its own Federal Government-controlled A-Level pathway? Such a programme, if properly structured and internationally benchmarked, could provide another credible pathway for Nigerian students, generate legitimate revenue for government and strengthen our national education system. NABTEB IS NOT LIMITED TO TECHNICAL TRADES We must also recognise that NABTEB is not concerned only with workshops and technical trades. Its examination structure includes academic and science subjects such as Biology, Chemistry and Physics, alongside technical, vocational and business subjects. If the present NABTEB structure or enabling framework is considered inadequate for an advanced-level qualification, then government should examine what needs to be changed. Review the law. Review the mandate. Review the syllabus. Review the curriculum. Raise the standard. Restructure what needs restructuring. If there is a weakness, correct it rather than abandon the entire foundation. NTC AND NBC MUST HAVE A FUTURE The same principle should apply to NTC and NBC holders. Students studying electrical/electronic technology, mechanical trades, building and construction, technical education, business studies, computing and other vocational disciplines should see a clear educational progression beyond their certificates. Where their qualifications satisfy the required academic standards, there should be nationally defined pathways into relevant programmes in Engineering, Technology, Technical and Vocational Education, Computing, Building, Business and other related disciplines. Where additional requirements are necessary for Direct Entry, government should create an appropriate bridging or advanced qualification pathway. Technical education must not become an educational dead end. THE MORE WE GROW, THE MORE WE SEE My Honourable Minister, the more we grow, the more we see; the more we move, the more we learn. Policies should therefore be reviewed when experience shows that something can be improved. Today, you are in the best position to initiate this restructuring. Tomorrow, another person will occupy the office. Let history remember your tenure for restructuring the foundation of Nigerian technical and vocational education. We also acknowledge the foundation and reforms contributed by previous education and admission administrators, including Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and we believe that every good foundation should be improved upon rather than discarded. My Honourable Minister, our knowledge should never limit our own product because when a nation limits its product, it limits its generation. Let us therefore: Restructure NABTEB. Rebrand NABTEB. Strengthen NTC and NBC. Create appropriate Direct Entry progression. Review the former NABTEB GCE A-Level structure. Consider a properly regulated Federal Government GCE A-Level. And give Nigerian technical and vocational students a clear future from the workshop to the university. This is not merely about NABTEB. It is about creating opportunities for millions of Nigerian children, particularly those from the grassroots and less-privileged families. Let the son of nobody become somebody without knowing anybody. Thank you for listening to the voice from the grassroots, sir. Respectfully submitted, LAWAL JAMIU BELLO Director-General (DG) Education Information Society of Nigeria (EISN) Former Sole Consultant to the A-Level Committee COPY TO: 1. The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2. The Leadership, Committee/Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities 3. The Executive Leadership, National Universities Commission (NUC) 4. The Registrar/Chief Executive, National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) 5. The Leadership, Association of Rectors of Nigerian Polytechnics 6. The NABTEB Zonal Coordinator 7. The NABTEB State Coordinator