By Teryima Andrew
Industrial Training Fund, ITF has called on National Universities Commission, NUC, National Board for Technical Education, NBTE and National Commission for Colleges of Education, NCCE not to accredite institution that has no regards for Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES)
“It resolved that SIWES Coordinators be signatories to SIWES accounts and urged supervisory agencies-National Universities Commission, NUC, National Board for Technical Education, NBTE and National Commission for Colleges of Education, NCCE- to include establishment of SIWES units as a criteria for accreditation.”
Head of public affairs unit of the ITF Suleyol Chagu, made the call Saturday in Jos, Plateau state, in a communiqué after a two day workshop, the Fund also threatened sanctioning institutions which may not comply with the directives for a functional SIWES.
“The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) will henceforth sanction tertiary institutions that fail to comply with guidelines of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), especially as they relate to duration of attachment and breaches of carrying capacity approved by SIWES supervisory agencies.”
It stressed on the sanctions that “the sanctions will include non-payment of allowances of the institutions and students, placement of institutions on probation for one year and de-accreditation of affected courses and programmes by the supervisory agencies amongst others.”
It states other modelties been put in place to ensuring effect SIWES among Nigerian students “Institutions and Industry based supervisors-must show evidence of such supervision just as it directed that all tertiary institutions must have functional SIWES Units with career SIWES Directors heading the Unit.”
The 2-day Conference was attended by the Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar, the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, the Director General, Joseph Ari and other stakeholders drawn from the supervising agencies.
