NBTE Unveils Unified Scheme of Service for Staff Recruitment in Polytechnics

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has unveiled a scheme of service unifying staff recruitment and promotion for all Nigerian polytechnics. Speaking in Kaduna on Wednesday, Idris Bugaje, the executive secretary of NBTE, said the scheme took effect on June 7. He noted that when he took office in April 2021, he had 3-5 Agendas as his key area of focus, namely the Skills development agenda, the Spirit of work in the NBTE which must be revived, and a new Scheme of service that gives recognition to the products of Nigerian Polytechnic system.

 Bugaje said the Scheme of Service cannot be said to be perfect since it is man-made and could still be subject to future reviews. He noted that he is happy with the new Scheme for the following innovation:

• HND Holders with good grades are now to be appointed as Academic Staff (Graduate Assistants), like their degree counterpart, 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 maintained

The NBTE executive secretary said the scheme would be used as an accreditation instrument for compliance in old and new institutions. He noted that it would also check the inflow of academic staff from universities into the polytechnics, especially those who may not have the qualifications.

Bugaje said that the stakeholders in the polytechnics are all united in operating the new scheme.

“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,” 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,” he added. “

“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.

“The requirement of NSQ Level 3 minimum for senior lecturers and above is a positive step to institutionalise skills training in the polytechnics.

“Let me advise that current lecturers seeking promotion to senior level shall be given a three-year moratorium to acquire the NSQ (or its equivalent) and, where necessary, shall be offered recognition of prior learning (RPL) to qualify.

“On the overall, the new Scheme of Service presents a unified approach to the recruitment and promotion of staff across Nigerian Polytechnics, Federal, State, and even Private.”

The NBTE is an organ of the education ministry charged with regulating technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in Nigeria.

TVET includes polytechnics, technical colleges, vocational training centres, and other public or private specialised learning institutions.