By Ahmed Ubandoma

Dr Emem Omokaro, Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), has expressed commitment to strengthen collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to create career path for caregivers in Nigeria.

Omokaro was speaking on Wednesday when she met with the officials of NBTE in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports tha the meeting was a follow-up to NSCC`s stakeholders engagement on the development of national benchmark statement and minimum standards in curriculum for training caregivers to older persons earlier held in Abuja.

She said at the gathering that NSCC was working towards ensure compliance, standards and regulations of caregivers, especially to older persons and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

“ Why we want to work with the National Board for Technical Education is to ensure a structured collaboration towards creating a career path for caregivers, to certify, standardise and regulate the operations of caregivers in the country.

“ Because NBTE’s core mandate is to accredit and regulate, so NSCC as a government agency cannot regulate without working with an agency like NBTE because we are working towards ensuring technical competence,“ she said.

The D-G said the centre had identified some strategic institutions, one of which was the NBTE to achieve this target.

She said the aim of the engagement was to ensure quality care assurance for certification, develop training modules for caregivers and care agencies administrators as well as open a website for registration of care agencies.

The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Prof. Idris Bugaje, represented by the Director Skills Development, Mr. Abbati Mohammed, assured the centre of the readiness to provide the necessary support towards achieving its objectives.

According to him, relevant skills acquisition is required to standardise the system of caregiving in the country.

NAN reports that, a Memorandum of Understanding between NSCC and NBTE for accrediting caregivers is expected to be signed after all the discussions are harmonised at a later date