Kaduna — The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has unveiled New Schemes of Service for all Nigerian Polytechnics, operational from June 7, 2024.
Speaking at the presentation of the document on Wednesday at the NBTE headquarters in Kaduna, Idris Bugaje, its Executive Secretary, said the new schemes of service is a unified approach to the recruitment and promotion of staff across federal, state and private polytechnics in Nigeria.
He said the scheme will be used as an instrument of accreditation in old and new institutions in terms of compliance.
The NBTE executive secretary said the system will check the inflow of academic staff from universities into the polytechnics, especially those who may not have skills qualification.
Bugaje said under the new service scheme, "HND holders with good grades are now to be appointed as Academic Staff (Graduate Assistants), like their degree counterparts, in a system that is theirs.
"The instructor cadre which represents segregation against HND holders in the past has been abolished.
"The technician cadre has been subsumed by the technologist cadre, allowing ND holders to be appointed as Assistant Technologists.
"The pharmacy technology cadre has been maintained. For those with a HND in Pharmacy.
"Technology, but who may not be allowed to work in hospitals by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, their space in the public service has been retained".
The NBTE boss said stakeholders in the polytechnics are all united from now onwards to operate the new schemes of service in the Nigerian polytechnic system (NPS).
"This milestone has taken over a decade of struggle and efforts by our Staff Unions, Rectors of Polytechnics through their COHEADS/COFER bodies, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the NBTE.
"I must commend all of you for all your contributions and pray that we shall operationalize the new schemes of service with all sense of responsibility."
Bugaje recalled that when he took office in April 2021 as the Executive Secretary of the NBTE, he initiated "3S Agenda" as key areas of his focus, namely - skills development agenda, spirit of work in the NBTE which must be revived and a new scheme of service that gives recognition to the products of the Nigerian Polytechnic System.
"With gratitude to Allah, the Most High, I am glad to announce that, working with you as a team, we have been able to achieve all the three within 3 years".
Bugaje noted that the Schemes of Service cannot be said to be perfect, since it is man-made, and could still be subject to future reviews.
He said: "An area of contention raised by ASUP is the terminal level for the Registry Cadre which is now the Deputy Registrar (CONTEDISS 15) since the position of the Registrar is tenured on consolidated salary like other principal officers.
"This matter is easily resolvable because the salary of the Registrar Cadre is CONTEDISS, not CONPCASS (academic staff).
"Equally, an area of concern for other unions (SSANIP and NASU) is that skipping has been abolished. This is open for discussion with the Head of Service (HoSF) to get this position streamlined along with the provisions in other cadres of public service.
"The requirement of NSQ Level 3 minimum for Senior Lecturers and above is a positive step aimed at institutionalising skills training in the polytechnics.
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"Let me advise that current lecturers seeking promotion to senior level shall be given three years moratorium to acquire the NSQ (or its equivalent) and where necessary shall be offered Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to qualify.
"This provision shall put check on the inflow of academic staff from universities into our polytechnics, especially those who may not have skills qualification.
"On the overall, the new schemes of service presents a unified approach to the recruitment and promotion of staff across Nigerian polytechnics, federal, state, and even private."
He commended Folasade Yemi-Esan, the HoSF, who he described as "the Mother of Skills Development in Nigeria", for her tireless efforts that culminated getting the scheme. Bugaje also expressed gratitude to the two Ministers of Education and the Permanent Secretary for their unyielding support.
