HoSF Yemi-Esan Tackles HND vs. Degree Debate in Nigerian Civil Service

Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, the Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), has provided further insight into the ongoing discussion surrounding the differentiation between Higher National Diploma (HND) and university degree qualifications within the civil service.

Yemi-Esan emphasized that the curriculum for HND and B.Sc programs are distinct, which consequently affects their treatment within the civil service.

In response to inquiries from Ayodele Hassan, a level 14 civil servant, Yemi-Esan clarified that HND graduates are required to undergo a mandatory one-year training before they can progress from the Executive to Officer cadre.

These remarks were made during a virtual meeting with civil servants as part of the 2024 Civil Service Week celebrations, which had the theme of “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning,” held in Abuja.

Yemi-Esan also emphasized the importance of implementing a Performance Management System (PMS) to adapt to the changing work environment and the need for enhanced efficiency.

She highlighted that the PMS Policy and Guidelines have been disseminated to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), with dedicated teams established to ensure its implementation. The responsibility of implementing the PMS has been delegated to the Ministries, with Permanent Secretaries serving as the primary drivers.

Yemi-Esan further explained that the new system will assess each officer’s performance based on specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), enabling the monitoring of job objectives across all MDAs. This system ensures that each officer can align their individual goals with those of their department, Ministry, and the national KPIs.

Yemi-Esan further emphasized the digitalization of work processes as a noteworthy achievement in the continuous transformation of the Federal Civil Service.