The Department of Vocational, Technical and Skills Development
The Department of Vocational, Technical and Skills Development (VT&SD) was established by the Board in 2015 for the coordinated development of working skills in the formal and informal sectors of the Nation’s economy. The Department was curved out of the former Programmes Department of the Board.
The Department has four divisions, each of which has three Units viz:
1. Enterprise Institutions Divisions (EID),
2. Non-Formal, Informal & Apprenticeship Technical Education Division (NIATED)
3. National Skills Qualification Division (NSQD) and
4. Technical Trades Division (TTD)
i. Enterprise Institutions Division (EID)
a. Vocational Enterprise Institutions (VEIs) Unit
b. Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs) Unit
c. Entrepreneurship Unit
ii. Non-Formal, Informal & Apprenticeship Technical Education Division (NIATED)
a. Apprenticeship Unit
b. Industry Linkage Unit
c. Monitoring Unit
iii. National Skills Qualifications Division (NSQD)
a. Standards & Qualifications Unit
b. Monitoring Unit
c. ICT & Data Generation Unit
iv. Technical Trades Division (TTD)
a. Creative Arts & Commerce Unit
b. Engineering Trades Unit
c. General Education Unit
Below are the functions of each Division in the Department.
1. Enterprise Institutions Division (EID)
i. To establish and maintain minimum academic standards in VEIs and IEIs and regulate the quality of their programmes through accreditation, re-accreditation, advisory/resource inspection and monitoring visitations.
ii. To determine the general programmes to be pursued by VEIs/IEIs and set the minimum entry requirements for them.
iii. To develop national minimum guide curricula in various specialist areas covered by the VEIs/IEIs.
iv. To promote strong industry linkage in TVE for the purpose of expanding access and addressing industry needs.
v. To evolve, set and recommend entrepreneurship education requirements for all technical institutions to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurial mindset in TVET students.
vi. To promote and encourage private sector participation in skills training and development.
2. Non-Formal, Informal & Apprenticeship Technical Education Division (NIATED)
i. To study, appraise and analyse the development of skills in Non-formal and Informal Technical Education in the country.
ii. To develop Guidelines and Standards Criteria for Skills Centres in institutions, industries and private sectors in collaboration with Awarding Bodies (ABs).
iii. To monitor & evaluate the implementation of the standards in all skills centres through quality assurance mechanism.
iv. To establish collaboration with relevant agencies like NDE, NMEC, etc. in ensuring their skills centres adopt the NSQ training and certification.
v. To foster close collaboration between industries and skills centres (MCPs & Apprentices) to reduce skills mismatch.
vi. Design and develop a programme for “Quality Apprenticeship” to be used by the industries, institutions and other informal sectors for apprenticeship training. (The VTSD department may leverage the experience of International Consultant on Apprenticeship under the IDEAS Project).
vii. To ensure all skills centres adopt the NSQ training for their certification. This will go a long way with the mandate of the National Council on Skills (NCS).
viii. To provide support to non-formal and informal vocational and skills centres in the country.
3. National Skills Qualifications Division (NSQD)
i. Establish the NSQF in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
ii. Supervise and regulate the Framework.
iii. Produce and maintain a free and accessible database for National Occupational Standards (NOS), National Vocational Qualifications (NSQs) and all qualified NSQ holders.
iv. Establish NSQs from the NOS, by setting the rules of engagement, in collaboration with Industry, Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), Awarding Bodies (ABs), Training Providers (TPs) and other relevant stakeholders.
v. Determine and set the roles, responsibilities and relationships of all stakeholders within the Framework.
vi. Establish and maintain minimum training standards for Training Providers (TPs) and Awarding Bodies (ABs) to ensure quality and smooth execution of the NSQF structure.
vii. Publish or make available to the public necessary information for the successful implementation of the Framework.
4. Technical Trades Division (TTD)
i. Initiate, design, develop and review curricula in technical and related trade areas.
ii. Offer advice to the proprietors on issues relating to institutional administration and technical trade areas.
iii. Carry out resource inspection of human and physical resources put in place in readiness for imparting knowledge and skills.
iv. Carry out accreditation/reaccreditation of technical and related courses to ensure quality of delivery.
v. Determine the capability of institutions on their readiness for additional programmes or streams.
vi. To produce and coordinate the Board’s presentations to the Joint Consultative Committee on Education, JCCE and the National Council on Education, NCE.
vii. To implement all decisions on skills as may be directed by the Director.
5. Programmes Support Unit (PSU)
i. To recommend the implementation of the standards/curricula to stakeholders.
ii. To monitor & evaluate the implementation of the standards.
iii. To appraise the socioeconomic impact of the standards in the country.
iv. To collate, produce and regulate the departmental schedule of visits.
v. To coordinate the development of new curricula and evaluation of submissions for the establishment of new institutions within the purview of the Department.
vi. To compilation of visitation reports for Management Committee Meetings.
vii. To communicate outcomes of visitation result to Institutions.
viii. To updating the Directory of Accredited Programmes and Carrying Capacity.
ix. To compilation quarterly Departmental achievements and annual reports.
x. To coordinate all divisions within the Department.
xi. To implement all decisions in the Department as may be directed by the Director.
The Programmes Support Unit of the Department is directly under the supervision of the Director, (VT&SD).