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

This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday in Kaduna by the NBTE executive secretary, Idris Bugaje.

She said Mr 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 act establishing NBTE.

According to her, the NBTE remains the only body legally empowered under the federal government Decree No. 9 of 1977, as amended by Act 16 of 1985, 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 institutions, including polytechnics, colleges of nursing sciences, colleges of health, colleges of agriculture, and other specialised institutions that meet prescribed standards, were authorised to run ND and HND programmes.

The NBTE, therefore, warned that it would not hesitate to take regulatory and legal action against any professional or examination body found engaging in such illegal practices.

The board urged all the stakeholders and the public to take note and ensure strict compliance with established regulations governing technical education in the country.

(NAN)