FG Orders Lecturers in Technical Colleges to Obtain Master’s Degree Within Five Years
By Erewunmi Peace
NBTE issues directive to raise standards in polytechnics and TVET institutions, warns non-compliant staff risk conversion to non-teaching roles.
The Federal Government, through the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has directed that lecturers holding only a Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc) or Higher National Diploma (HND) in technical colleges, polytechnics, and other Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions must obtain a Master’s degree within five years.
The directive, contained in an NBTE circular dated September 10, 2025, states that academic staff who fail to upgrade their qualifications within the stipulated time will be converted from teaching staff to non-teaching staff.
NBTE explained that the policy aims to align Nigerian TVET institutions with international standards and improve the quality of teaching across technical schools and polytechnics.
Quoting from the circular, the board stressed:
“Lecturers without a Master’s degree are expected to upgrade within five years of employment. Failure to do so will result in their conversion from academic staff to non-academic staff.”
The development has generated mixed reactions. While some stakeholders welcomed the move as a step toward enhancing teaching standards, others, including the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), have expressed concerns. Reports indicate that ASUP is considering engaging the NBTE over the implications of the directive, particularly for lecturers already in service.
The NBTE, however, maintained that the decision was in line with global best practices for technical education.
