The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has rejected the new scheme of service for Nigerian polytechnics released by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
The union also issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government to immediately review the scheme of service to avert being confronted with diverse industrial action.Â
WikkiTimes reports that the National Board for Technical Education has in June this year released a copy of the approved reviewed polytechnic service scheme as approved by the federal government.Â
Acting Chairperson of ASUP, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi Chapter, Esther Adebitan said this in a press conference at the union’s secretariat on Wednesday.Â
“It is noteworthy to point out that a 15-day ultimatum in line with extant labour laws has been served to the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education and NBTE effective 8th of July,2024, to suspend provisions containing these anomalies with a view to the review of such provisions or face diverse forms of industrial action by our, union,” she said.Â
Mrs Adebitan said the document approved as Scheme of Service for Polytechnics contains significant and fundamental deviations from the document prepared by stakeholders in the sector and coordinated through a series of consultative engagements by the NBTE for over six years.
She added, ‘the document’s approval route which gave rise to the significant and contentious alterations is legally questionable as the role of The Office of The Head of Civil Service of The Federation as an approving authority is unchallengeable.
“Our conviction is that The Head of Civil Service of The Federation cannot be preparing or approving a document on the career development of staff including the assessment of such staff for career growth when she is neither an employer nor regulator.
“The status of Nigerian Polytechnics was again brought to question by this controversial document. The tertiary educational institution status of Polytechnics is settled in different laws and policy instruments.
“Therefore, the introduction of sub-tertiary level qualÃfications like in this instance the National Skills Qualifications (NSQ) as mandatory conditions for academic staff career growth is a misnomer as the possession of NSQ has no meaningful contribution to the delivery of the contents of the curricula of the different programs offered at the tertiary education level in Polytechnics.”
She argued the scheme of service entrenched unwholesome and condemnable discrimination against holders of Higher National Diploma certificates as against holders of Bachelor’s degrees from universities was further entrenched in the document.
“We affirm that Polytechnics cannot discriminate against its products in the manner prescribed in this document. This is evident in the provision of discriminatory entry points into the Lecturer cadre for degree holders and HND holders; lowering of the career progression bar of holders of HND both in the teaching and non-teaching cadres; discrimination against holders of HND in the appointment of Registrars and Busars irrespective of their possession of higher level certificates; classification of technologists as non-teaching staff and so on,” the chairperson insisted.
Idris Kamal Ibrahim is a dedicated reporter with WikkiTimes, specialising in fact-checking, investigative journalism, and solutions-focused reporting. His commitment to uncovering the truth and addressing societal issues in Northern Nigeria has earned him several prestigious journalism fellowships, highlighting his expertise and impact in the field.
