I am pleased to introduce this publication on the NABTEB qualifications and the entry/qualifying requirements, conditions for award, equivalences, progression and job placement/entry. This is in response to series of enquiries received from employers, professional bodies, tertiary institutions, regulators and other stakeholders and partners. It is part of the redesignation of the NABTEB Examinations architecture to meet the needs of stakeholders and reposition the Board to take its rightful place in the educational and economic sectors of the Country as a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) delivery and assessment institution and a source of critical low and medium level skilled manpower for the entire economy.

The NABTEB assessment and certification system is very unique as it combines educational career and professional objectives. In addition, it is designed with sufficient flexibility to meet the needs of in-school and private learners, young and adult learners, slow and fast learners, and formal and non-formal learners. It is also designed to meet the needs of learners with the objectives of gaining decent employment, self employment, entrepreneurship and job creation. It covers all sectors of the Nigerian economy and all trades, vocations, careers and fields of endeavour. Holders of NABTEB Qualifications are adequately prepared on global best practice to fit into the Nigerian economy and also to hold on their own in any sector within the African continent and the entire world

It is my expectation that the publication would serve as a reference material for all stakeholders especially learners, trainees and prospective candidates, colleges and allied institutions operating NABTEB TVET programmes, employers and admission officer of tertiary institution, researchers, policy makers and development partners.

Dr. Olatunde A Aworanti

Registrar/Chief Executive

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) is a national human resource development and certification body established by an Act of parliament in 1993 to takeover and domesticate craft level technical and vocational education assessment and certification system, hitherto offered in Nigeria by foreign examination bodies such as the City and Guilds Institute of London (C&GI) of London, the Royal Society of Arts (RSA),and the West African Examinations Council (WEAC) Technical and Business, and other non-specialised examination bodies in the country. In order to meet the needs of private and public sectors, NABTEB certification system was upgraded beyond what were hitherto offered by these institutions by the infusion of sufficient general education subjects to provide the products not just the career mobility hitherto offered but also vertical and horizontal academic and professional mobility. Thus holders have the unique advantage of educational and professional mobility through professional bodies and tertiary institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and allied institutions).

The Qualifications issued by NABTEB are designed to address the needs of the Nigerian economy (both public and private) in line with global best practices. Because of their uniqueness and flexibility, it has become necessary for the Board to issue the following guidelines and conditions for awards for the guidance of employers, professional and regulatory bodies, tertiary institutions and other stakeholders. Candidates for NABTEB examinations are drawn from post-basic educational institutions (technical, secondary and allied), vocational and non-formal educational and other training institutions.

While taking into consideration the conditions set out by regulatory and professional bodies, employers, admission bodies and above all global best practices, the following guiding principles, conditions for the award, equivalences, job placement, and advancements (career, academic and professional) with NABTEB qualifications are set out:

2.0 ARTICULATION OF NABTEB QUALIFICATIONS THROUGH THE NATIONAL VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

Holders of NABTEB qualifications who are willing and able to progress in the acquisition of higher skills and qualifications can articulate through the pathways created by the National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF) recently introduced by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The Framework is a system for the development, classification and recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies acquired by individuals, irrespective of where and how the training or skill was acquired. The system gives a clear statement of what the learner must know or be able to do whether the learning took place in a classroom, on-the-job, or in an informal setting. It is a six-level system of qualifications proposed at different levels of skill, autonomy and responsibility, corresponding to levels of employment in the Nigerian labour market. The grid begins with Level 1, which describes the competence for entry level worker, through to level 6 which describes the characteristics of professional worker. They are as follows:

level 1. Entry level or unskilled employees

level 2. Foundation or basic skilled employees

level 3. Operators or semi-skilled employees

level 4. Technicians, skilled and supervisory employees

level 5. Technical and junior management positions

level 6. Professional engineers and senior management positions

3.0 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EQUIVALENCES OF NABTEB QUALIFICATIONS

As stated earlier, NABTEB was established to take over, domesticate and conduct series of vocational, business and technical examinations hitherto conducted by local and foreign bodies such as the Royal Society of Arts, the City and Guilds Institute of London, The West African Examinations Council, the National Secretarial Examinations (NSE), the Open Grading and Testing (OGT) the Trade Test and a host of others. By implication NABTEB was expected to harmonise and absorb these various examinations and certificates. This means that the foundations of NABTEB qualifications are both national and international

The NABTEB qualifications also have national and international equivalences. As a result of the infusion of sufficient general education subjects which are not found in other qualifications, NABTEB qualifications have an edge over other qualifications, and provide distinct advantages for the holders in the world of work and for professional and academic progression.

4.0 GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE AWARDS OF NABTEB QUALIFICATIONS

The following are the guiding principles and processes for delivery, assessment and the certification system by NABTEB:

1. As a specialised assessment and certification body combining professional and general education, NABTEB has specially designed its test methods to meet the twin needs of education and the requirements of the world of work and in line with international best practices. NABTEB utilises the two major testing methods adopted by all major assessment and testing agencies and bodies worldwide. In the NABTEB assessment system, the Norm-referenced Tests (NRTs) which compare a candidate's performance to those of other candidates aimed at ranking each with respect to the achievement of others in broad areas of knowledge like discriminating between high and low achievers are widely utilised. However, the Criterion Referenced Tests (CRTs) which examines performance as compared to a mastery set, a predefined set of criteria or standard, mainly to determine whether or not the candidate has the demonstrated mastery of a certain skill or set of skills are mainly utilised. The results are usually 'pass' or 'fail' and are used in making decisions about job entry, certification, or licensure.

2. Taking the foregoing into consideration, it is worth noting that NABTEB examinations, in the main, are criterion-referenced Testing. This is because a set of criteria are predefined for the candidates to meet, mainly to determine whether the candidate has the skills to practice the trade or not. Thus, he is certified and eligible for licensing. These criteria vary from one level of certification to the other with the lowest laying more emphasis on practical application.

3. Certification in NABTEB refers to professional certification which requires meeting the basic requirements of passes in trade component(s), trade related subjects and Mathematics and English Language. Certification is a basic requirement for registration, licensing or enrolment by professional and or regulatory bodies to practise or develop further to a certain level in a certain vocation, trade or field and for employment. For educational purposes, the NABTEB qualifications presently at Ordinary and Advanced levels are designed to ensure that each trade/subject meet all the requirement for obtaining academic requirements obtainable at Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations and Advanced Level Certificate level

4. The NABTEB National Business Certificate (NBC)/National Technical Certificate (NTC)/ National Vocational certificate Stage 3(NCV3) and the Advanced National Business Certificate (ANBC)/Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC) qualifications are listed in the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Examinations Board (JAMB) Brochure for admission purposes into tertiary institutions in Nigeria. They are also accepted for admission internationally.

5. The levels of certification, in the order of hierarchy, range from the Modular, comprising one module to a combination of modules to make up a full trade to the Advanced National Business/ Advanced National Technical Certificates. The details are contained in the table in the centre spread of this document.

6. While general education is a very important component, it is important to note that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is a professional education that follows a systematized training, certification and licensing or registration process based on and in accordance with established regulations. To practice as a professional craftsman or technician requires proper certification and licensing/registration. Any skill acquisition or vocational education which falls outside this system is merely general education or studies, no matter the grounds covered and the level at which it is acquired. Since the outcomes cannot lead to licensing or registration as professionals, certificates issued to the holders cannot equate those issued through the systematic training. Therefore NABTEB qualifications (NBC/NTC and ANBC/ANTC) are the only recognized crafts level qualifications for craftsmen and technicians in Nigeria.

7. Because of the infused general education subjects incorporating what is obtainable in the conventional post basic school system, NABTEB Ordinary Craft Level and Advanced Craft Level certificates are academically at par with Senior Secondary school Certificates (SSSCE) and Advanced/High School Certificates, respectively, but with an added advantage of professional training and certification in their respective trades.

5.0 THE NABTEB QUALIFICATIONS AND THE CONDITIONS FOR THE AWARD, EQUIVALENCES, JOB PLACEMENT/ENTRY LEVEL, AND ADVANCEMENT

The following are the NABTEB qualifications for entry/qualifying requirements, conditions for award, equivalences, progression and job placement. Furthermore, the certification system has been designed to provide the needed flexibility to accommodate all categories of students, learners, trainees or candidates. They are as follows:

The Modular Certificate system (Ordinary Craft Level)

A module can be defined as a body of knowledge and skills capable of being utilized on its own either as a foundation or pre-requisite knowledge for more advanced work in the same or other related fields of study. The NABTEB Modular Certificates are taken from the Ordinary Craft level(NBC/NTC) except for Typewriting and shorthand both of which have higher levels At the modular level, a candidate only needs to pass a module to qualify for modular certification and has the opportunity to obtain certification in all the modules of a given trade. The Modular certificate fits into NVQF at LEVEL 1.

The National Technical/ Business Certificate Ordinary craft Level

To qualify for certification as a craftsman at the ordinary craft level (National Business Certificate (NBC)/ National Trade Certificate (NTC), a candidate must have at least a pass in the trade component (s), trade related subjects and compulsory general education (mainly mathematics and English). NBC and NTC are on LEVEL 3 of the NVQF.

Some candidates may only be interested in obtaining the necessary subject combinations to meet up the requirement for admission into tertiary institution, these candidates who apparently do not need professional certification as craftsmen are free to do so and awarded the General Education Certificate equivalent to the Senior school Certificate, but are also permitted obtain the necessary requirement for full certification within a period of three years.

The Advanced National Business/Technical Certificates

In the case of candidates for the advanced or master craftsman certification leading to the award of the Advanced National Business Certificate (ANBC) /Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC) on LEVEL 4 of the NVQF, candidates are required to obtain minimum of pass in all the trade related subjects and trade group courses plus mathematics and English Language. Candidates who failed to meet the requirements are issued statement of results and given a grace period of 3 years to make up the required papers to obtain full certification. Qualifications obtained at this level are professionally equivalent City and Guilds Stage 1 and are also at par with the National Diploma obtainable in Nigeria, They are also academically equivalent to Advanced levels of the London GCE or Higher School Certificate thitherto awarded in Nigeria.

The National Vocational Certificate System

The Federal Government of Nigeria recently introduced the National Vocational Certificate system presently obtainable through but not limited to the Vocational Enterprise Institutions (VEIs). The system is a three stage certification process where each year of study can be terminal and has a cogent and flexible structure and content that equips the trainee with practical working skills and the possibility to exit at that level. The stages are:

i. Stage One on Level 1 of NVQF

ii. Stage Two on Level 2 of NVQF

iii. Stage Three on Level d3 of NVQF

The system is the same with and based on the NBC/NTC programmes but broken into three modules to enable traineers/learners enter, exit, and re-enter at will as maybe permitted by their work conditions.

Job and Entry Level Placements for NABTEB Qualifications

The NABTEB qualifications fit into levels 1-4 of the National Vocational qualifications Framework, and therefore are to be placed on the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Schemes of Service and Salary Grade Levels as follows:

i. National Vocational Certificate(NVC) Stage 1 at Level 1 of NVQF should be for placement on Salary Grade Level 03

ii. NVC stage 2 at Level 2 of NVQF should be for placement on Salary Grade Level 04

iii. National Business Certificate(NBC)/National Technical Certificate(NTC)/NVC Stage 3 on Level 3 of NVQF should be placed on Salary Grade level 05

iv. Advanced National Business Certificate (ANBC)/Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC) on LEVEL 4 of NVQF should be for placement on Grade Level 06.

The Federal Executive Council which approved the National Vocational Qualifications Framework has also directed the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to implement them as appropriate.

The foregoing will guide placement in the private sector as has always been the case with the schemes of service.

The full details of the foregoing are indicated in the table in the Centre spread of this document:

NATIONAL BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL EXAMINATIONS BOARD (NABTEB)

Table Showing NABTEB Qualifications and the Conditions for Award, Equivalences, Job Placement, and Advancement

S/N	NABTEB QUALIFICATIONS	MINIMUM ENTRY /QUALIFYING REQUIREMENT	CONDITIONS FOR AWARD	EXEMPTIONS/ ALTERNATIVES ACCEPTED FOR CERTIFICATION	ACADEMIC /PROFESSIONAL PROGRESSION	LEVEL ON NVQF	LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL (PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL) EQUIVALENCES	JOB ENTRY LEVEL (NIGERIAN FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE SALARY GRADING SYSTEM)	REMARKS
1	Modular Trade Certificate (MTC) (One Module in An NBC/NTC Trade component)	JSSCE First school Leaving Certificate (FSLC), Adult Education Basic Certificate, Evidence of Apprenticeship Evidence of ability to read and write	Pass in the Module	-	National Vocational Certificate 1 (NVC1)	LEVEL 1 Entry Level or Unskilled Employees	Trade Test Grade III	GL 03	Transitional qualification to Full Trade, NVC1
2	National Vocational Certificate Stage1 (NVC1)	Junior Secondary Certificate (JSSC), MTC	Pass in all Trade component and trade related subjects and English and Maths	-	National Vocational Certificate stage 2(NVC2)	LEVEL 1 Entry Level or Unskilled Employees	Trade Test Grade III	GL 03	Transitional to NVC 2
3	Full Trade (All Modules in an NBC/NTC Trade component)	-do-	Pass in all modules	-	NBC/NTC by taking trade related and compulsory education subjects	LEVEL 2 Foundations or Basic Skilled Employees	Trade Test Grade III	GL 03	Transitional qualification to Full Trade, NVC2 and to NBC/NTC Certification
4	National Vocational Certificate stage 2(NVC2)	National Vocational Certificate Stage1 (NVC1)	Pass in all Trade component and trade related subjects and English and Maths	-	National Vocational Certificate stage 3(NVC3)	LEVEL 2 Foundations or Basic Skilled Employees	Trade Test Grade II	GL 04
5	NABTEB General Education Certificate ( Fail one or more requirement for certification)	-	Pass in at least one subject		NBC/NTC/NVC3 Tertiary Education	LEVEL 2 Foundations or Basic Skilled Employees	West African Senior Secondary School Certificate (WASSC), Senior Secondary School certificate (SSSC) Cambridge O/L GCE	GL 04	Transitional qualification to NBC/NTC for those seeking professional certification, Listed by JAMB for admission into tertiary institutions
6	National Vocational Certificate stage 3(NVC3)	National Vocational Certificate Stage 2 (NVC2)	Pass in all Trade component and trade related subjects and English and Maths	Credit passes in Maths and English from NECO or WAEC	ANBC/ANTC) Tertiary Education, Professional Training and Education	LEVEL 3 Operators or Semi-Skilled And Supervisory Employees	City and Guilds Stage II SSC, GCE O' Level	GL 05	Listed by JAMB for admission into tertiary institutions
7	National Business Certificate (NBC)/ National Technical Certificate (NTC)	Junior Secondary Certificate plus 3 year Senior Secondary School education or equivalent	Pass in all Trade component)s) and Trade Related Subjects and English and Maths	Credit passes in Maths and English from NECO or WAEC for private candidates only	ANBC)/ANTC Tertiary Education, Professional Training and Education	LEVEL 3 Operators or Semi-Skilled And Supervisory Employees	City and Guild Stage II SSC, GCE O' Level	GL 05	Listed by JAMB for admission into tertiary institutions
8	Advanced National Business Certificate (ANBC)/ Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC)	National Business Certificate(NBC)/National Technical Certificate NTC) or equivalent	Pass in all Trade component and trade related subjects and English and Maths	City and Guilds of London Stage 3	Tertiary Education, Professional Training and Education	LEVEL 4 Technicians, Skilled And Supervisory Employees	City and Guilds Stage 1 Higher School Certificate (HSC) Cambridge A/L GCE	GL 06	Listed by JAMB for direct entry admission into tertiary institutions

7.0 EXAMINATION STRUCTURE

The NABTEB Examinations structure (EA 25) containing subject combinations for each level of certification are available at each participating institutions/examination centre, NABTEB Offices nationwide and the NABTEB website. The main features of the structure are as follows:

i. The Structure of the Trades

The structure of the trades was designed to give holders maximum advantage of horizontal and vertical mobility in the world of work due to the multi-skills they acquired during training. The structure comprises trade related subjects, Trade Group Courses, Electives and General education Subjects relevant to the trades ( See NABTEB Document EA 25 for both ordinary and advanced crafts level Examinations).

ii. Vocational Enterprise Institutions (VEIs)

The new Vocational Enterprise Institutions designed to meet the needs of those already in the World of Work which are private sector driven have been added to our examinations structure. Basically VEIs uses the same NBC/NTC curriculum but are designed to be delivered in 3 stages flexible enough for the trainees to take as their work permits. A certificate is issued at the end of each stage i.e. National Vocational Certificate I, II and final (III). The final is equivalent to full NBC/NTC.

iii The subject combinations

In addition to the trades' combination, General Education Subjects were included in the programmes. For programmes leading to the award of the National Technical Certificates, the subjects include English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agricultural science, Geography as the case may be. For the National Business Certificate Programmes the subjects included are English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Commerce, Economics, Civic Education and Geography. More relevant arts and social science subjects will soon be added as additional business trades are included. Candidates are to enrol for a minimum of 7 and maximum 9 subjects from the following groups:

a) Trade Group Courses (all courses)

b) Trade related subjects (all courses)

c) Compulsory General Education Subjects (all courses but minimum passes in Mathematics and English Language required for certification)

d) Elective General Education Subjects ( Minimum of one subject)

e) General Education candidates (Code 450) are free to enrol for any subjects under General Education subject to a minimum of seven and a maximum of nine.

8.0 SYLLABUSES FOR STUDY LEADING TO THE AWARD OF NABTEB QUALIFICATIONS

The details of each programmes and level indicating aims and objectives, detailed syllabus, examination structure, target groups, opportunities available to holders and other relevant information are contained in the syllabuses obtainable at institutions offering the programmes, NABTEB Offices nationwide, NABTEB Headquarters in Benin City at the Board's website at registration.nabtebnigeria.org or www.nabtebnigeria.org

9.0 CONCLUSION

This publication properly situates NABTEB qualifications professionally, educationally and career wise, within the Nigerian and global environment. It is a reference material for learners and candidates, post-basic and tertiary institutions, the professions, the world of work, career guidance, researchers and other stakeholders. While great care has been taken in compiling the foregoing guidelines and conditions, the dynamism of the world of education and the world of work has made it imperative for continuous review. In carrying out these reviews national needs and global best practice will always be taken into consideration.

Further Enquiries

All further enquires on this publication, NABTEB Qualifications and related matters should be addressed to:

The Registrar/Chief Executive

National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB),

Ikpoba Hill, PMB 1747, Benin City, Nigeria

Registration.nabtebnigeria.org or www.nabtebnigeria.org

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National Business and Technical Examinations Board

GUIDING PRINCIPLES, CONDITIONS FOR AWARD, EQUIVALENCES, JOB PLACEMENT, AND ADVANCEMENT WITH NABTEB QUALIFICATIONS

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