The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has issued a new directive requiring lecturers in technical colleges who were hired with only a bachelor’s degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) to upgrade their qualifications within five years or risk being reassigned to non-teaching roles.
In a circular dated September 10, 2025, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, the board expressed concern over the growing number of lecturers who remain at entry-level qualifications without pursuing postgraduate studies, despite years in service.
According to the statement, the NBTE, which regulates Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Nigeria, observed a “worrisome pattern” where many teaching staff have failed to obtain advanced academic credentials.
“To safeguard the quality of teaching in technical schools, a moratorium of five years from the date of employment has now been approved for staff to obtain a master’s degree. Any lecturer who fails to comply within this period will automatically be converted to a non-teaching position,” the circular noted.
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The board directed rectors and provosts of technical colleges nationwide to immediately notify all affected staff and enforce the new requirement without exception.
The policy, which takes effect immediately, is aimed at raising the academic standard of instructors in technical and vocational education, ensuring that lecturers possess the depth of knowledge needed to effectively train students in modern technical fields.
NBTE also warned that compliance would be strictly monitored, stressing that academic advancement is not optional but a condition of continued teaching status in Nigeria’s technical institutions.
