By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has commenced a national workshop to critique and validate curricula for National Diploma (ND) programmes in Technical Arabic and Technical French.

The workshop, held in Kaduna, was organised by NBTE in collaboration with Kaduna Polytechnic and sponsored by Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari, representing Zamfara West Senatorial District.

Declaring the workshop open, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, commended Kaduna Polytechnic for partnering with the board to mobilise resources for the exercise.

Bugaje described language as a critical driver of civilisation, diplomacy, commerce and technological advancement, stressing that Nigeria needed professionals with technical competence in foreign languages.

He said introducing the two diploma programmes was strategic because Nigeria was surrounded by French-speaking countries, while Arabic remained influential in many parts of the world.

According to him, graduates of the programmes are expected to work in diplomacy, international organisations, companies and institutions requiring multilingual professionals.

He urged participants to critically examine the draft curricula to ensure graduates possessed workplace skills relevant to employers and the international environment.

Bugaje recommended the inclusion of courses in international relations to prepare students for careers involving interaction with foreign organisations and international partners.

He cited Morocco’s skills development model, where higher-level vocational students studied foreign languages to improve global employability and contribute to national economic growth.

The NBTE boss said Nigeria should also develop capacity in foreign languages to enhance industrialisation, business, diplomacy and participation in the global labour market.

Earlier, the Rector of Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr Umar Sulaiman, represented by the Director of Academic Planning, Dr Nasiru Bello, described the programmes as timely and strategic.

Sulaiman said the curricula would equip graduates with technical language competencies required for diplomacy, international trade, translation, education, media, tourism and other global professions.

He said the programmes would strengthen Nigeria’s engagement with neighbouring Francophone countries, the Middle East and the international community.

The rector reaffirmed Kaduna Polytechnic’s commitment to supporting curriculum development that responds to industry demands and global best practices.

He urged participants to thoroughly review the draft curricula to ensure they remained competency-based, industry-driven and capable of producing globally competitive graduates.

Sulaiman also appreciated NBTE for its leadership in technical education and commended Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari for sponsoring the national workshop.

Earlier, the Director of Curriculum Development, NBTE, Dr O.O. Bello, said the proposed programmes would equip students with practical language competencies for technical and professional communication.

Bello said graduates would acquire skills in translation, interpretation, diplomacy, international trade, maritime operations, media and emerging digital communication platforms.

He added that the programmes would strengthen Nigeria’s engagement within ECOWAS, Africa, the Middle East and other international communities.

According to him, the workshop brings together scholars, language experts, industry practitioners, employers, curriculum specialists, regulatory agencies and other stakeholders nationwide.

He urged participants to review the draft curricula thoroughly and produce competency-based programmes that would meet industry expectations and improve graduates’ employability.

Bello expressed appreciation to the NBTE management, Kaduna Polytechnic, Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari and all stakeholders for supporting the curriculum development initiative.