Polytechnic workers reject NBTE revised scheme of service.
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There is fresh wahala in our tertiary education space as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, popularly known as SSANIP, has officially kicked against the newly reviewed schemes of service. For a long time, workers in this sector have been asking for fairness, but it seems the document prepared by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, has only added more salt to the injury.
The National President of the union, Philip Ogunsipe, did not hold back in a statement released this Thursday. He made it clear that the union has already submitted a minority report to the Minister of Education, Dr Moruf Alausa, because they simply cannot accept what is on the table. As an editor who has followed these labour issues for years, it is easy to see why the workers are not smiling.
They feel that their career progression is being tampered with and that the regulator is not listening to the very people who keep the polytechnics running daily.
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The real koko of why the new rules are causing tension
The real koko of the matter lies in the sharp disparities that the new scheme has introduced between teaching and non teaching staff. According to SSANIP, the revised document makes it almost impossible for non teaching staff with first degrees to reach the pinnacle of their careers.
Specifically, they are worried about being blocked from advancing to CONTEDISS 15, which is the equivalent of Grade Level 17 in the civil service. To make matters worse, the union claims that relevant documents from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission were completely ignored during the stakeholders meeting in Abuja.
There is also a lot of anger over some comments made by the Chairman of the Committee of Heads of Polytechnics. He reportedly suggested that rectors and certain non-teaching staff should not retire on the same grade levels. This kind of talk has been described as demeaning and elitist by the union, as it creates a superior vs inferior atmosphere that is not healthy for any educational institution.
The call for an immediate review to avoid industrial action
Because of these issues, SSANIP has passed a vote of no confidence in the NBTE. They believe the board has shown a persistent bias and a total disregard for existing public service regulations. When a union takes such a drastic step, it usually means that industrial harmony is at risk.
We have seen too many strikes in Nigeria, and the last thing we need is for polytechnic gates to be locked again because of a document that could have been better handled. The union is now looking up to the Minister of Education to intervene and examine their protest letter with an objective eye.
They want a scheme that is fair, balanced, and acceptable to everyone, not just a section of the workforce. At the end of the day, you cannot expect people to give their best when they know their career path has been cut short by administrative red tape.
Moving forward to protect the future of technical education
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If Nigeria is serious about technical education, then we must treat the workers in that sector with the respect they deserve. This is not just about salary or grade levels; it is about the morale of the people who are training the next generation of Nigerian technicians and engineers.
When you have a scheme of service that discriminates against a large portion of your staff, you are essentially killing the drive for excellence. The Ministry of Education needs to act fast to resolve this deadlock before it escalates into a full-blown crisis. We need a system where every staff member, whether teaching or non-teaching, feels valued and sees a clear path to the top of their profession.
It is only when the workers are happy that we can truly talk about improving the standards of our polytechnics and making them competitive on a global scale. One thing is certain: the workers are not ready to back down until justice is served.
