HND holders to be employed as lecturers in Nigerian polytechnics under new Scheme of Service

Holders of Higher National Diplomas (HND) will now be employed as lecturers in the polytechnics under the new scheme of service.

This is to check the influx of academic staff from universities into polytechnics, particularly those lacking skills and qualifications.

Also, the new Schemes of Service are seen as unifying recruitment and promotion practices across Nigerian Polytechnics, whether federal, state, or private.

The new Schemes of Service offers a consistent framework for hiring and promoting staff in Polytechnics across Nigeria, encompassing Federal, State, and private institutions.

This was announced by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Mohammed Bugaje during the formal unveiling of the new Schemes of Service for Polytechnics stakeholders, recently approved by the Head of Service, Dr. Mrs. Folasade Yemi-Esan.

What he said

Esan mentioned that everyone is committed to implementing the new Schemes of Service within the Nigerian Polytechnic System (NPS).

He also noted that reaching this milestone involved over a decade of effort and struggle by the staff unions and rectors of Polytechnics through the various bodies including the Federal Ministry of Education, and the NBTE.

He said,

“We 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.  

“When I took office in April 2021, I announced my 3-S Agenda as my key areas of focus as Executive Secretary, 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 the Nigerian Polytechnic System…. we have been able to achieve all the three within 3 years.”

The new Schemes which are subject to review

The Schemes of Service will serve as a tool for ensuring compliance during accreditation processes in both established and new institutions. Here are they:

• The Instructor cadre, previously representing segregation against HND holders, has been abolished.
• HND holders who have achieved good grades will now be appointed as Academic Staff (Graduate Assistants), similarly to their degree-holding counterparts, within their own system.
• The Technician cadre has been merged into the Technologist cadre, which now permits ND holders to be appointed as Assistant Technologists.
• The Pharmacy Technology cadre has been preserved
• Those with a HND in Pharmacy Technology who may not be permitted by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to work in hospitals will have positions in the public service safeguarded.