The National Council on Establishment (NCE) at the its 42nd meeting held from 30th November to 4th December, 2020 in Ikeja, Lagos State has resolved that professional certificates shall no longer serve as enter qualifications into any cadre in the Civil/Public Service in Nigeria.
Consequently only academic qualifications such as Junior and Senior Secondary School Certificates (WASC/SSCE), NECO, GCE, ND, NCE, HND, University Degrees and postgraduate Degrees shall apply.
The above is contained in a recent circular released by the Head of Services of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan. The circular dated 12 April, 2021 added that the new system takes effect from the date of approval which was 4th December 2020.
Further the Council, while appreciating the role of professional bodies in enhancing the professionalism and competencies of officers in relevant cadres in Services, approved that the “professional certificates already in the schemes of services shall, in interim, serve as a condition for promotion from SGL 13 to SGL14 in addition to the criteria preserved in public service Rules and Guidelines for appointment, promotion and disciplines in the Service.
The Circular which was spotted by MyEngineers with ref HCSF/SPSO/ODD/NCE/CND.100?S.10/III/104 went on to urged the government regulatory bodies responsible for ensuring standards of practices of professional cadres in the Public Services to “take necessary steps to build their capabilities with view to fully taking over, in the nearest future, the professionalization of relevant cadres in the Civil/Public Services, which will be midwifed by the National Council on Establishment.
…Internship/Horsemanship/NYSC Doctor no longer part of scheme of service attracting grade level salary
In a similar Development, the council has removed internship programmes, Horsemanship, NYSC Doctors from schemes of service attracting grade level salary structure.
This was contained in circular with ref HCSF/SPSO/ODD/NCE/CND.200/E.10/III/112 titled :”Internship programme in the civil/public service.
According to the release, the “Council based it’s decision on the ground that the period of these programmes/services form part of the trainings in their respective professions. Interns shall shall, however, be considered for payment of alliance to be determined by the National salaries income and wages commission’.
Other decisions include the inclusion of Banking and finance Degree certificate in the scheme of service for industrial/investment, procurement commercial officers and other relevant cadres. in addition the council created Psychology Officer cadre was also created.
Meanwhile, the council also addressed the long standing issue of executive/superintendent/technical cadres to Professional officer cadres.
According to the circular ref HCS/SPSO/ODD/NCE/CND.100/S.10/III/102, titled “conversion of executive/superintendent/technical cadres to Professional/officer fader in public civil services”, “it has been brought to the attention of the National Council on Establishment at its 42nd meeting held in Ikeja, Lagos State from.30th November- 4th December, 2020 that circular ref. No. HCSF/EPO/EIR/CND/S.100/1/29 dated 1st August, 2012 on the “conversion of Executive Officer (General Duties) that has acquired University Degree and has cognate experience to the Administrative Officer Cadre”, which Had been extended to cover all other cadres in Public Service in the Council’s previous meetings are still being misconstrued to relate only to the conversion Executive Officers (General Duties) to Administrative Cadre alone.
Council at its 42nd meeting reemphasized that the circular applies to the conversion of officers at all the Executive officer/superintendent/technical cadres to the corresponding Officer/Professional cadres on acquisition of relevant qualifications and cognate experience for conversion; as presented in the Schemes of Service.