The National Board for Technical Education has cautioned all professional and examination bodies in Nigeria to desist from the illegal conduct and award of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates.

This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna by the Executive Secretary (ES) of NBTE, Professor Idris Bugaje, through the board’s Head, Media and Publicity, Mrs Fatima Abubakar.

She said Bugaje had issued a circular, expressing concern over the activities of certain professional and examination bodies purporting to design, conduct, and award ND and HND certificates in various disciplines. He described such actions as illegal and a violation of the NBTE’s establishing Act.

According to her, the NBTE remains the only body legally empowered under the law, to approve, accredit, and regulate all programmes leading to the award of ND and HND certificates in Nigeria.

The board further clarified that only accredited Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, including Polytechnics, Colleges of Nursing Sciences, Colleges of Health, Colleges of Agriculture, and other specialised institutions that meet prescribed standards are authorised to run ND and HND programmes.