Speech Delivered on the Occasion of the Release of November/December 2017 NBC/NTC and ANBC/ANTC Examinations Results at NABTEB Headquarters, Benin City.
By Prof. (Mrs.) Ifeoma Mercy Isiugo-Abanihe
Registrar/Chief Executive National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB)
27th February 2018
Protocols,
Distinguished Gentlemen of the Press,
I am delighted to welcome this august audience to the official Headquarters of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) for a very event. Before proceeding to the business of the day, let me express my profound gratitude to our collaborators: members of the fourth estate, the news media, for your cooperation over the years. You have continued to provide a formidable support for NABTEB in its effort to promote sustainable technological development through high quality assessment and certification in technical and vocational education.
There are two issues that make this result significant. First, is the slow but promising rise in the number of certified Craftsmen and Master Craftsmen. In view of the sudden renaissance being witnessed in the world today, in the demand for skills, this is a significant result which may point to rising interest in vocational skills acquisition in Nigeria. As NABTEB is the main awarding body that is saddled with the responsibility for assessment and certification of technical and vocational education at the post basic education level, this aspect of the result points to the relatively low level, yet significant rise, in candidates’ performance in vocational skills compared to the situation a year ago. Secondly, the brilliant success of candidates in both compulsory and elective General Education subjects is also worthy of note. This corroborates the fact that graduates of Technical and Vocational schools enjoy wide choices of subjects other than Technical subjects, and as such, have access to pursue further studies in any field that they passed the prerequisite subjects for admission.
Permit me, at this juncture, to officially announce the results of the 2017 November/December:
- National Business Certificate (NBC)/National Technical Certificate (NTC) Examinations; as well as the
- Advanced National Business Certificate (ANBC)/Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC).
The examinations were held nationwide from Monday, 6th November to Friday 8th December, 2017. A total of 45,088 candidates enrolled for the examinations in 1786 centres nationwide (40,746 candidates registered for the Ordinary Craft Level, 4,342 for Master Craft Level certificate). Of the total that enrolled, 44,197 candidates sat for the examinations, comprising 40,117 NBC/NTC and 4080 ANBC/ANTC candidates, representing 98.02% of the total enrolment.
According to the examination structure, candidates enrolled for 67 trades at both Ordinary and Advanced Levels as follows: 17 Engineering Trades; 7 Construction Trades; 9 Miscellaneous Trades, and 4 Business Trades at Ordinary Craft Level while at the Master Craft Level, candidates enrolled for 12 Engineering Trades, 7 Construction Trades, 7 Miscellaneous Trades, and 4Business Trades.
Analysis of the results further reveals that 21,159 candidates representing 52.74% of candidates that sat for the NBC/NTC examinations, obtained five (5) credits and above including English Language and Mathematics whereas, 31,369 candidates representing 78.19% scored five (5) credits and above with or without English Language and Mathematics. This represents an improved performance compared to the previous year’s, 2016 November/December NBC/NTC results where 21,476candidates representing 47.48% of candidates that sat for the examinations obtained five credits and above including English and Mathematics. Also, 33,365 candidates representing 73.77% scored five credits and above with or without English language and Mathematics.
It is important to note that out of the 10,177 candidates that sat for various trade examinations at Ordinary Level, 3,558 representing 34.96% were certified as craftsmen while 1,788 candidates, representing 47.39% of the 3,773 candidates that sat for the Advanced Level examination were certified as master craftsmen. Again, this represents an improved performance in the proportion of certified craftsmen compared to the 2016 series of the examination. In the 2016 result, out of 16, 396candidates that sat for the trade examinations at Ordinary Level, only 4,195 candidates, representing 25.29% were certified as craftsmen; for the Advanced Level examination, 1,457 representing 39.39% of the total number of 3,699 candidates, were certified as master craftsmen.
I would like to reiterate that the overall enrolment figure of 45,088 in the 2017 November/December examination is still very much lower than expected considering the nation’s quest for rapid technological development and the significant role of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in Nigeria. It is gratifying to note that the modalities put in place by the Board to checkmate examination malpractice are yielding desired results. For instance, out of 44,197 candidates that sat for the certificate examination, only 759 candidates were involved in 1,124 incidences of examination malpractice representing 1.72% candidates. This translates to a marginal reduction from the figure of the last year, 2016 November/December certificate examinations, where 1,394 candidates representing 2.85% were involved in examination malpractice.
Let me state that the Board will continue to intensify its effort to engage in series of advocacy and sensitization activities aimed at reversing the downward trend in enrolment in its various certificate examinations. This is because, despite our efforts, there are many Nigerians, prospective candidates, parents and guardians, including higher education institutions who still need to be reached and convinced about the added value of vocational education, particularly at this point in time in the 21st century where skills, more than certificates, are in high demand.
As I conclude this news briefing on the release of the 2017 November/December NABTEB examination results, I wish to recommend that:
- Federal and State Ministries of Education and Local Governments should be urged to give priority to TVET as the bedrock for sustainable development and an instrument for fighting poverty, unemployment and youth restiveness. This requires massive investments and mobilization of the entire citizenry, institutions and corporate bodies using all available medium and instruments.
- Federal and State Governments should establish more FSTCs and GTCs, respectively, especially where there is need as urged by the National Council on Education (NCE) at its 60th
- Critical stakeholders should be encouraged to support the Federal and State Government to establish more Technical and Vocational institutions in order to increase the critical mass of craftsmen and technicians in Nigeria.
- The press and all other concerned stakeholders should join NABTEB in the sensitization of the public about the importance TVET;
- The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) should play more role in mobilization of fund for more support of TVET programmes below tertiary education
- Concerted efforts should be made by all stakeholders to wage war against youth restiveness and unemployment problems in our nation through the promotion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
- Other alternative routes to the acquisition of TVET such as VEI (Vocational Enterprise Institutions), IEIS (Innovative Enterprise Institutions) should be established by LGAs, States and Federal Government to provide opportunities for all.
- The Nigerian Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQ), formerly National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF) should be implemented as approved.
- There is need for collaboration between TVET institutions and industries to close existing skills gaps between TVET curricular and industry needs
Distinguished Gentlemen of the Press, once again, it is my pleasure to seek your support and cooperation to move TVET to the next level in Nigeria.
Thank you and God bless you all.
Prof. (Mrs.) Ifeoma M. Isiugo-Abanihe,
Registrar/Chief Executive,
National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB)
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