NBTE Unveils New ND Programmes in Technical Arabic and French to Boost Jobs and Global Opportunities

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has commenced a national curriculum validation workshop for the proposed National Diploma (ND) programmes in Technical Arabic and Technical French, a move aimed at equipping Nigerian graduates with specialised language skills for international trade, diplomacy, and industrial development.

The workshop, taking place at the Centre of Excellence, Umaru Rimi College of Education in Kaduna, brings together curriculum experts, language specialists, academics, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to review and validate the curriculum before its adoption.

Declaring the workshop open, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, stressed the need for Nigeria to strengthen its capacity in foreign languages as part of efforts to drive industrialisation and improve the country's global competitiveness.

According to him, Technical Arabic and Technical French will play a vital role in enhancing Nigeria's engagement with Arabic- and French-speaking countries, particularly in business, diplomacy, and technical collaboration.

Prof. Bugaje explained that the workshop follows the successful completion of the zero draft of both curricula, adding that stakeholders are now expected to examine, refine, and validate the documents before they are implemented across relevant tertiary institutions.

He noted that introducing the programmes into Nigeria's technical education system would produce graduates with practical language competencies capable of supporting technology transfer, cross-border trade, industrial growth, and stronger international partnerships.

Participants at the workshop are expected to make recommendations that will strengthen the curricula and ensure they meet national education standards while addressing the evolving demands of industry and the global economy.

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