The Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) Board has paid a study visit to the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration and share best practices in technical and vocational education.
The Bayelsa delegation, led by the Executive Secretary of EDTF, Professor Ebimieowei Etebu, said the visit was aimed at understudying LASTVEB’s system design, training models, funding structure, partnerships, and the challenges of implementing reforms in a rapidly growing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) environment.
Speaking during the visit, Prof. Etebu said the exercise was particularly significant in view of the Bayelsa State Government’s ongoing expansion of technical colleges under the administration of Governor Douye Diri. According to him, the Board sought to gain practical insights into the management, administration, and funding of technical colleges to support the state’s education reforms.
He disclosed that records available to the EDTF indicated that the pioneer Board had previously visited LASTVEB and identified it as one of the best technical education management institutions in the country, prompting the decision to undertake another study tour.
In her response, the Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, Ms. Moronke Azeez, welcomed the Bayelsa delegation and expressed appreciation for the visit.
Ms. Azeez explained that LASTVEB is responsible for overseeing technical and vocational education in Lagos State, including the administration of five government-owned technical colleges and the regulation of private vocational institutions.
She noted that the Board operates under a comprehensive five-year strategic development plan focused on governance, quality assurance, expanded access, innovation, private sector collaboration, and sustainability.
On curriculum and training, she said LASTVEB offers formal technical college programmes, short skills-for-work courses tailored to labour market demands, vocational training, and competency-based programmes implemented in partnership with industry stakeholders.
According to her, the technical colleges are primarily designed for students transitioning from junior secondary schools, equipping them with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
Ms. Azeez stressed that technical education should go beyond teaching vocational skills by nurturing entrepreneurship, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and other soft skills required in today’s workforce.
She further disclosed that students commence compulsory industrial work experience from Technical Two (Tech 2), with placements arranged in industries across Lagos and neighbouring communities.
The LASTVEB boss also highlighted the Board’s adoption of digital learning, explaining that teaching, assessment, and certification are supported through a server-based platform that provides access to approved educational resources, while students are assessed and certified by the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).
She added that discussions during the meeting also covered teacher development, partnership models, institutional responsibilities, student welfare, system reforms, funding mechanisms, infrastructure development, and the deployment of solar-powered facilities in technical colleges.
Prof. Etebu thanked the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board for the warm reception and for sharing its experiences and operational strategies with Bayelsa State. He also expressed appreciation for the approval granted to the Bayelsa delegation to visit selected technical colleges under LASTVEB.
The EDTF Executive Secretary noted that Bayelsa State had recently hosted a delegation from Nasarawa State, which came to study its education development model, emphasizing that knowledge exchange among states remains vital to advancing technical and vocational education across Nigeria.
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