The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr. Masa’udu Kazaure, mni, has commended the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) for its efforts in producing a standard curriculum for Nigerian culture education.

He stated this in his office at the NBTE Corporate Headquarters in Kaduna, when the Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Associate Professor Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma paid him a courtesy call to formally present a draft copy of the curriculum for the National Diploma in Cultural Administration (NDCA) programme of NICO Training School.

Dr. Kazaure said he was elated over NICO’s efforts because it was the right step that would see that Nigerian culture was not relegated to the background, adding that a standard curriculum on culture education will promote quality cultural programmes, studies and research.

Elaborating on the mandate of NBTE, he said: “NBTE takes care of all things about technical education. We make sure that matters on general trends on vocational education are updated. We ensure that basic academic standards are adhered to – Higher National Diploma, National Diploma, education for craftsmen, artisans, etc., so that vocational training and skills will receive a certified standard. In effect, we deal with education that concerns culture. We need to use cultural education to re-orientate Nigerians. I was so impressed when we got your proposals on the issue of curriculum. I commend NICO and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. Your approach to culture education will surely affect the youths and re-orientate them”.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, NICO, Assoc. Prof. Barclays Ayakoroma, recalled that the Management of NICO had paid visits previously to intimate the Management of NBTE on the Institute’s mandate, and know the guidelines for the running of the National Diploma in Cultural Administration (NDCA) programme to build the capacity of culture workers and stakeholders in the culture sector in Nigeria.

Continuing, Prof. Ayakoroma said NICO has carried out the assignment in response to the guidelines; hence, the courtesy call with his management team was to present a draft copy of the curriculum of NICO Training School to the Board, adding: “it is for you to go through it; and scrutinize it to ensure that we have carried out the assignment you required of us”.

In his response, Dr. Kazaure commended NICO for responding to the assignment and assured that the Board will surely expedite action by studying it and making sure that all the necessary material elements have been reflected.

Members of the NBTE Management present were: Director, Monotechnic Programmes, Mrs. Helen Oduntan; Director, Physical Planning, Ekpeyong Ekpeyong; Director, Academic Planning, Engr. Danjuma Usman; Director, Finance and Accounts, Sayyid Haruna; and Acting Director, Special Duties, Saad Gwarzo.

On the part of NICO, the ES was accompanied by the Director, Orientation and Cultural Affairs, NICO, Mr. Alex Omijie; Director, Administration and Human Resources, Alhaji Husseini Ibrahim; SA to ES, Mr. Law Ikay Ezeh; Deputy Director, Administration and Human Resources, Mrs. Jane Anigala; Deputy Director, Katsina Zonal Office, Alhaji Lawal Ibrahim; and Assistant Director, O&CA, Mrs. Franca Okoro, among others.

Nwagbo Pat Obi

NICO Training School

Abuja Study Centre