The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, said workers with Higher National Diplomas (HND) must complete a one-year training program before promotion from Executive to Officers cadre.

Dr. Yemi-Esan announced this requirement during a virtual interactive session with civil servants, held as part of the 2024 Civil Service Week.

The theme of this year’s event is “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Life-long, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa.”

The purpose of the mandatory training is to address the educational gap between polytechnic-awarded HNDs and university degrees.

This has sparked debate between the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

Although a bill to eliminate the disparity between HNDs and bachelor’s degrees was passed by the Ninth National Assembly in 2021, it was not signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In response, NBTE introduced a one-year top-up program designed to help HND holders obtain a bachelor’s degree.

During the virtual session, Dr. Yemi-Esan clarified that, “The curriculum for HND and B.Sc holders is different, hence HND graduates are required to undergo a mandatory one-year training before they can be converted from the Executive to Officers cadre.”

This clarification came in response to a question from Adebayo Hassan, a Grade Level 14 civil servant, who asked about the government’s efforts to bridge the gap between B.Sc and HND holders in the Service.

Discussing the theme of the 2024 Civil Service Week, Dr. Yemi-Esan emphasized the importance of accessible, inclusive, and high-quality education that remains relevant to the rapidly changing needs of the modern world.

She stated, “The theme also highlights how the Nigerian Civil Service is leveraging learning and development to enhance the capacity and capability of its workforce to achieve national priorities.”