Bayelsa Tourism Institute Receives NBTE SIWES Director for Accreditation Exercise

The International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality (IITH), Yenagoa, has received the Director of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), Mr Dauda Baba Allah from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) on Wednesday 9th April 2025.

The Director was at the Institute for the accreditation of the SIWES unit. In his opening remarks, the Rector, Prof. Apuega Arikawei expressed gratitude to the Bayelsa State Governor, His Excellency Senator Douye Diri, for the funding of education in the state, especially the continuous support to the institute. He also expressed appreciation to NBTE for listing the institute for the accreditation exercise emphasizing the importance of SIWES in equipping students with practical, hands-on experience relevant to their fields of study. Prof Arikawei noted that the SIWES component of the academic program sets polytechnics curriculum as a key component in preparing graduates who are job-ready and technically skilled to be self-employed through diverse vocational skills. The Rector reiterated the institution’s commitment to improving quality and maintaining strong industry linkages.

In his remarks, the SIWES Director, Mr. Dauda Baba Allah highlighted that the accreditation exercise was a quality assurance measure introduced by the federal government to ensure all students engage in compulsory four-month industrial training. He stressed that SIWES is a 4-unit course essential for graduation, and students who fail to participate will not be eligible for the NYSC deployment

Mr. Dauda, however, commended the management and staff of the Institute for the uncommon hospitality and encouraged them to see feedback as a tool for growth.

The Rector, in turn, assured the team of prompt improvements in all notable areas and thanked the Director for the visit while also calling for more effective collaboration.