NBTE: Polytechnic Students Must  Acquire Mandatory Skills  Before Graduation

•Says chief lecturers must have doctorate degrees

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Beginning from this  year, every polytechnic student must undergo a Mandatory Skills Qualification (MSQ) before graduation.

Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr. Idris Bugaje,

announced this at a press conference at the board’s head office yesterday, in Kaduna.

He also said the recently approved schemes of service for the polytechnic sector required that  Principal/Chief Lecturers must have doctorate degrees.

Bugaje, said the policy was a major paradigm shift in polytechnic education in Nigeria, “so that we produce diploma holders with skills.”

He noted that  while polytechnics demand for parity between universities, masters degrees cannot be allowed to be the highest academic qualification in the polytechnics.

The NBTE boss said with the new system, indolent academics who, in the past, had  been hiding  in polytechnics to avoid doctorate degrees shall henceforth, have no hiding place anymore.

“You cannot give what you don’t have and that is why the NSQ was introduced for the promotion of lecturers who should drive the programme.

“This requirement will additionally make Polytechnic lecturers unique, having both academics and hands-on skills,” Bugaje said.

According to him,  the approved schemes of service for the polytechnic sector had been circulated and proposals for amendments of grey areas had been submitted to the Head of Service of the Federation ( HoSF), Folasade Yemi-Esan.

Bugaje  said, “The 2024 schemes is a revolutionary document with its recognition of HND holders for the first time, as Graduate Assistants like their university counterparts in our polytechnics.

“It also requires Principal/Chief Lecturers to have doctorate degrees.

“This requirement cannot be negotiated. This is because while we ask for parity between universities and polytechnics, we can’t allow the highest academics in polytechnics to have a master’s degree only.

“The indolent academics who, in the past, run and hid in polytechnics to avoid doctorate degrees, shall henceforth have no hiding place anymore.”

Commenting on a clause raised by  the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics ( ASUP) on the introduction of the Nigerian Skills Qualification (NSQ) certificate for the promotion of lecturers, Bugaje

said, “the NSQ is not an informal qualification as misjudged by ASUP,” because it is already approved and recognised in the National Schemes of Service.”

He said, henceforth, all accreditations in state polytechnics shall  be strictly on academic programmes  to ensure standards are maintained.

Bugaje appealed to President Bola Tinubu, “to kindly extend the tenure of the  HoSF to enable her complete  the final schemes of service for the polytechnic sector before retiring.