The twenty-two years old dispute between the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN, over the accreditation and training of Pharmaceutical Technologists is over.
Both agencies of government reached an amicable resolution of the dispute last Wednesday and signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to that effect in the presence of the Minister of State, Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu.
In the MoU, the NBTE and PCN agreed to abolish the HND Programme in Pharmaceutical Technology but retained the National Diploma in Pharmacy Technician.
The MoU notes that Pharmaceutical Technologists have no place in clinical settings and shall therefore not be able to use the certificate for employment in clinical settings.
However, both parties resolved to allow those already admitted for the Programme to continue and conclude their training while fresh admissions will not be given going forward.
The PCN in line with the Act establishing it shall continue to register National Diploma graduates and prospective graduates in Pharmacy Technician.
In a statement, the Registrar of the PCN, Mr. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed commended the leadership of the Ministry of Education for mediating over the long standing dispute.
The NBTE is the agency of government that regulates technical and vocation education and training while the PCN regulates and control Pharmacy education, training and practice in all it’s ramifications.
The Executive Secretary of NBTE, Professor Idris Bugaje, the Director of Polytechnic Education in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Ejeh Usman, the Registrar of the PCN, Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed and the Director, Food and Drug Services of the Ministry of Health signed the MoU.
