The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has issued a new directive mandating the conversion of academic staff in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions who fail to obtain a Master’s degree within five years of employment into non-teaching staff.
The directive, signed by the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, was released on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. It follows concerns raised by the regulatory body over the continued employment of staff with only a Bachelor’s degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) as lecturers, without further academic advancement.
According to the circular, NBTE has approved a five-year moratorium for newly employed academic staff to pursue and complete a Master’s degree. Failure to meet this requirement will result in automatic conversion from teaching to non-teaching roles. The board emphasized that this policy takes immediate effect.
Prof. Bugaje expressed dismay at the trend of academic stagnation within the TVET system, stressing that the measure is necessary to raise academic standards and improve the quality of technical education in Nigeria.
“This directive takes immediate effect,” the circular read. “Any academic staff who fails to acquire a Master’s degree after five years of employment shall be converted from academic staff to non-teaching staff.”
The NBTE further urged all rectors and provosts of TVET institutions across the country to strictly enforce the directive, describing it as a crucial step toward aligning Nigeria’s technical education system with global best practices.
Reactions from stakeholders in the education sector are already trailing the announcement. While some see it as a positive step toward professionalism and academic growth, others worry it could lead to job losses or discourage HND and Bachelor’s degree holders from pursuing teaching careers in technical institutions.
The new policy is expected to have far-reaching implications for recruitment, career progression, and the overall quality of teaching staff in polytechnics and other TVET institutions nationwide.
