By Desire Emmanuel
Courses including electrical installation and maintenance practice, computer hardware and GSM repairs, catering, fashion design and garment making are among the top courses chosen by 15,281 candidates who sat for this year’s entrance examination into technical colleges across the country.
The National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) for admission into federal and state technical colleges across Nigeria was conducted on Saturday, June 13, simultaneously in 203 centres nationwide.
The candidates who wrote the examination comprised 10,626 males and 4,655 females and they are seeking admission into various technical and vocational programmes.
It was gathered that the candidates were examined in 28 different trades which they will pursue when they are eventually admitted as students.
According to statistics about the candidates made available on Saturday, the most chosen courses are electrical installation and maintenance practice attracting 3,875 candidates, computer hardware and GSM repairs with 2,850 candidates and catering craft practice having 1,777 candidates.
Others included bricklaying, block laying and concreting with 1,552 candidates, automobile mechanics with 1,154 candidates, as well as fashion design and garment making with 940 candidates.
It was also discovered that Enugu recorded the highest enrolment among states in the country with 1,506 candidates, while Zamfara State had the lowest with 14 candidates.
Speaking while monitoring the examination, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Aminu Mohammed, disclosed the Federal Government’s intensive efforts to reposition technical and vocational education in Nigeria as a driver of youth employment and economic growth.
He described the turnout as a reflection of growing interest in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
TVET, he said, remains central to the Federal Government’s strategy for tackling unemployment, promoting entrepreneurship and building a skilled workforce.
“The NCEE provides young Nigerians with an opportunity to acquire quality technical and vocational education capable of equipping them with employable skills required in today’s evolving labour market,” he said.
