The Federal Ministry of Education has commenced a two day capacity building workshop for State Project Monitoring Officers (PMOs) under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Programme as part of preparations for the commencement of Cohort 2.
The workshop, themed “Strengthening Monitoring, Compliance and Programme Delivery for Cohort 2 Implementation,” brings together State PMOs from across the country to strengthen monitoring, transparency, compliance and programme delivery under the Federal Government’s flagship TVET initiative.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop in Abuja, the National Coordinator of Special Programmes under the Minister of Education, Adebayo Onigbanjo, described the training as a critical step towards consolidating the gains of the programme and ensuring uniform implementation standards nationwide.
According to him, State PMOs serve as the Ministry’s representatives in the field, overseeing accredited training centres, validating compliance with programme guidelines and ensuring that trainees receive quality instruction aligned with national objectives.
Onigbanjo said the TVET Programme is one of the key pillars of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), designed to equip Nigerians with practical, industry relevant and employable skills.
He explained that the workshop was designed to align monitoring officers with their responsibilities and provide them with the knowledge required to support training centres effectively.
The coordinator noted that participants are being trained on the operation of biometric registration systems deployed across training centres to strengthen data integrity, beneficiary verification and accountability within the programme.
He stressed that transparency remains central to the TVET initiative, noting that every trainee is biometrically registered while all payments are made directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts to eliminate opportunities for abuse and ensure support reaches intended recipients.
Onigbanjo further disclosed that with more than 1,600 accredited training centres spread across the country and present in nearly every local government area, the role of State PMOs has become increasingly important in ensuring compliance, quality assurance and timely resolution of operational challenges.
Also speaking, the National Project Monitoring Officer for TVET and IDEAS, Odewunmi Olatunji, said the workshop provides an opportunity to review lessons learned from the first phase of implementation and prepare stakeholders for a more effective rollout of Cohort 2.
He said the engagement would strengthen monitoring and reporting systems while creating a platform for direct interaction between national and state level officers to identify implementation challenges and develop practical solutions.
According to Olatunji, feedback from officers directly involved in implementation at the state level is critical to addressing gaps, improving coordination and preventing a recurrence of challenges experienced during the first phase.
He added that the workshop also brings together key stakeholders involved in programme implementation, including officials of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), representatives of biometric registration service providers and other collaborating partners to ensure alignment ahead of Cohort 2.
Olatunji said discussions during the workshop cover funding processes, payments to training centres and beneficiaries, compliance requirements, reporting frameworks, accreditation procedures and strategies for improving programme performance nationwide.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to building a skilled workforce capable of driving national development through quality technical and vocational education, stressing that effective monitoring and accountability remain central to the success and sustainability of the TVET Programme.
The workshop is expected to produce a unified monitoring framework and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders as preparations intensify for the nationwide rollout of Cohort 2.