The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr. Idris Bugaje, has announced that beginning from this year, every polytechnic student must undergo a Mandatory Skills Qualification (MSQ) before graduation.

He stated this at a press conference at the board’s head office yesterday in Kaduna.

He also said the recently approved scheme of service for the polytechnic requires that Principal/Chief Lecturers must have doctoral degrees.

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

He noted that while polytechnics demand for parity with universities, master’s 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 getting their doctorate, shall henceforth have no hiding place anymore.

According to him, “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 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.

He 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.

“This requirement cannot be negotiated 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 doctoral 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: “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. (THISDAY)

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