The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has refuted a report alleging that some blacklisted universities in the Benin Republic are collaborating with private polytechnics in Nigeria to facilitate the admission of unqualified graduates into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
In a statement signed by the Board’s Head of Media Unit, Hajiya Fatima Abubakar, NBTE described the report credited to Saturday Punch as false, misleading, and injurious to the integrity of Nigeria’s technical education system.
“The NBTE does not condone, support, or tolerate any form of certificate racketeering or academic fraud,” Abubakar stated, adding that the Board remains committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the technical and vocational education sub sector.
According to her, the Board has already initiated preliminary investigations into the allegation and has reached out to both the NYSC and Punch Newspaper to obtain relevant details for a comprehensive probe.
“The integrity of Nigeria’s technical education system is paramount, and any institution found to be involved in such malpractice will face the full weight of regulatory sanctions,” she added.
The NBTE urged members of the public and stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant, and report any suspicious activities involving Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to the appropriate authorities.
The statement further reaffirmed the Board’s collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and other relevant agencies to safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s polytechnic and technical education system.
While commending the Nigerian press for its role in exposing irregularities through investigative journalism, NBTE assured that it would continue to support efforts aimed at sanitizing the education sector.
“The Board is committed to ensuring a transparent and credible system that promotes merit, excellence, and discipline. Any erring institution will face appropriate sanctions, including withdrawal of operational licenses and possible prosecution,” the statement concluded.