The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has proposed a minimum of N75,000 as a monthly allowance for interns under the one-year mandatory engineering internship programme. During the event, the President also decries legislative overlap in accreditation of engineering in Nigeria.
Prof Sadiq-Zubair Abubakar, President of the council, disclosed this on the sidelines of an induction ceremony for engineering graduates into the Nigerian Society of Engineers at the weekend.
The one-year mandatory post graduation engineering internship programme for university and polytechnic graduates has been proposed before joining the National Youth Service Corpse (NYSC) programme.
Abubakar said Nigeria was the second African country to sign the Washington Accord, the accord enables engineering graduates to work globally after complying with some criteria.
According to him, part of the criteria are the one year post-graduation mandatory internship programme, adoption of a 10 semester system, and students indexing for each approved programme among others.
He, however, said the one year post graduation mandatory training was also provided by the ITF and COREN Laws but inadequate funding hinders its implementation. He said that if implemented, each engineer would have the right to practice anywhere across the globe, in addition to attaining any position in both the public and private sector.
“COREN as a regulatory body is liaising with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the National Assembly, NBTE and other key stakeholders to revive the one year post graduation mandatory training for engineers,’’ he said.
“A minimum of N75,000 allowances will be provided to the interns during the programme. The council is closely working with the National Assembly for a legislative backing and increased funding for the programme,” he said.
While lamenting that engineers in Nigeria had been degraded to be unemployable, the president said: “We don’t feel good when our graduates are called unemployable.
“Industries cannot uptake them because the one year internship which is a global benchmark and standard is not implemented in Nigeria.
“Therefore, there is an overlap, the laws of NUC cannot stop COREN from doing its job in engineering and vice-versa,”
“We need our engineering graduates to have the requisite hands-on, competence and proficiencies to enable them to deliver and become more employable, hence the programme,” he noted.
The President appealed for support and understanding of the Lecturers in the Nigerian Universities System for their long but necessary journey.
He assured of COREN commitment and resolved to change the narration of Engineering profession in Nigeria.
The president, however, described the parallel accreditation of engineering courses in the country by both NUC and COREN as a waste of resources.
“The laws empower NUC to accredit all courses in Nigerian universities, while COREN laws also empower the council to accredit engineering courses in Nigerian universities and polytechnic.
“Therefore, there is an overlap, the laws of NUC cannot stop COREN from doing its job in engineering and vice-versa,” he said.
He said the COREN under his watch was developing a framework of a joint accreditation of engineering programmes in Nigerian universities by COREN and NUC for effective use of resources.
The President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Prof Sadiq Zubair Abubakar has said that plans to change the direction of engineering education in all Nigerian Universities are in the pipeline to meet up with the global benchmark.
885 graduands from the 10 departments of the Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria were inducted as professional members of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) at Maman Kontagora Square, Ahmadu Bello University, Main Campus, Samaru, Zaria.
The induction and oath-taking were administered by COREN and NSE. Registrar, COREN, Prof Adisa Ademola Bello, administered the oath of practice for the fresh engineers.
Prof Abubakar called on the graduands to be of good conduct, committed and dedicated to their work in order to serve humanity well.
Professor Zubair encouraged the graduands to participate actively in the course of their practice, as the engineering profession comes with great opportunities.
Earlier in his address, the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof Kabiru Bala, represented by the Provost, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof M S Shehu, wished the young engineers a successful practice. He urged them to be God-fearing and good ambassadors of the University.
He said that by virtue of the training they received it is expected that they would show resilience and humanity in their engineering practice.
The President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Margaret Aina Oguntala, who was represented by the Chairman, NSE, Zaria branch, Engr. Agee A Agba, called on the graduands to be of good conduct, committed and dedicated to their work in order to serve humanity well.
She also encouraged them to participate actively in the course of their practice, as the engineering profession comes with great opportunities.
A guest lecture was delivered by an alumnus of the University, Engr.Ibrahim Abdullahi Maimaje, who spoke on ‘Importance of Professional Licencing in Engineering Career Progression’.
The highlight of the occasion was the presentation of awards and cash prizes to best graduating students.
Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof Kabiru Bala; COREN President; NSE President; Guest Lecturer; Managing Director, Kaduna Refinery; and COREN Registrar were all honoured for their tremendous support to engineering education.