Idris Bugaje: Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education in Nigeria published Holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) would pretty soon be hired as Assistant Lecturers in Polytechnics and Monotechnic

By Abdul Rahman Bangura–

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS (NADN) Freetown, Sierra Leone- Bugaje spoke of that, barely degree possessors were being hired in polytechnics as assistant lecturers.

He bemoaned that HND holders were referred to technicians and technologists in laboratories and workshops in the polytechnic sector, which he interpreted as “gross injustice”.

“Why should somebody from the university system come and midwife over a different system and become lords over them?

“The highest product in the polytechnics is the HND, as such the best of these graduates should be employed as assistant lecturers and grow within the systems to have their Master’s degree.

“They can rise through the ranks to become Chief Lecturers and eventually become Rectors of their respective institutions.

The NBTE boss said that the scenario would change with the new Scheme of Service for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.

He announced that the strategy of service was expecting authorization by the Head of Service hopefully by the stop of 2022 or early 2023.

He applauded the Federal Ministry of Education for its assistance in ensuring the new proposal of service was formulated and fulfilled to the Head of Service for approval. NAN recalls that Bugaje had, on inference of office in April 2021 as Executive Secretary of the NBTE, pledged to renovate the board to enormous altitudes.

He disclosed a three-point agenda: Scheme of Service, Skills, and the NBTE Spirit. On Scheme of Service, Bugaje had emphasized the significance of possessing a united Scheme of Service in the TVET sector.

“In the same vein, polytechnic staff will also come to NBTE on sabbatical.

“This will promote interaction and understanding among the stakeholders in the TVET sector,” he had announced.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports,  Africa Correspondent