HND/Degree dichotomy stays – FG

The Federal Government has said the controversial dichotomy in the placement of HND and Degree holders in the federal civil service cadres has not been abolished.

This is despite wide held belief that the dichotomy has been abolished and the holders of the two certificates would henceforth enjoy same privileges.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, while presenting her three-year scorecard at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, said the review of the policy covers only the entry point for all cadres.

According to her, Nigerians have grossly misunderstood the pronouncement made by the Federal Executive Council on the controversial HND and BSc dichotomy.

She said the government have not completely resolved the dichotomy, as workers who holds HND in the civil service may have to get additional degree or certificate before they can be moved to level 17 like their University degrees counterparts.

“I think the issue of this HND and BSC Dichotomy came up at the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. It is something a lot of people are still confused about and it should not be so.

“What was approved at FEC is that henceforth HND graduate who entered at the same level as degree holders will be on the same level at entry point in the civil service.

“The issue of where they stop will still remain at Grade Level 14 unless they are able to acquire additional relevant degrees that can now covert them to officer cadre. We have explained this severally, but when people hear that BSC–HND dichotomy has been cancelled, everyone was jumping for joy as if  it is automatically that HND will get up to Grade Level 17 in the public service.

The issue still remains that HND still have to convert after having acquired relevant degrees, to the officer grade,” Oyo-Ita said.

She also said that Federal Government has finally settled out-of-court with about 97 Deputy Directors who were aggrieved over the processes of the promotion exam conducted by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

She said the government considered the option of out-of-court settlement to ensure the sustainability of achievements of the reform agenda in the public service.

She said that to demonstrate government’s commitments to workers welfare, about 10,735 officers have been promoted through promotion and conversion between 2016 and 2018.

She said, “the office recently settled out-of-court the outstanding promotion examination for deputy directors (Administration) which has been pending for the last three years.

“The promotional examination to the post of (Administration) was subsequently held in collaboration with the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN).”