The proposal to replace the HND curriculum with a Bachelor of Technology is set to be discussed by rectors and provosts of polytechnics and other TVET-awarding institutions today, Tuesday.
The meeting would also give members the chance to reiterate their call for the Federal Government to ratify the bill that aims to do away with the distinction between a bachelor’s degree and a higher national diploma, according to a letter signed by Lawal Hafiz, Director of Human Resources at the National Board of Technical Education and sent to all Rectors and Provosts throughout Nigeria.
The measure aims to end the practice of discriminating polytechnic graduates in the workplace against their university counterparts when it comes to employment and advancement.
The law also tries to remove prejudice against polytechnic stakeholders, something they have long pushed to eliminate.
Senator Ayo Akinyelure’s measure passed its third reading on the Senate floor during plenary.
Speaking on the bill, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Ibrahim Shekarau (APC, Kano Central), stated, “The enactment of the bill to abolish and prohibit discrimination between First Degrees and Higher National Diploma for the purpose of employment in Nigeria will no doubt freeholders of HND from stagnation and ensure balanced treatment with their counterparts from other higher tertiary institutions in Nigeria.”
The letter from the NBTE partially reads:
“I write to invite you to a one-day national dialogue on the future of Higher National Diploma programme in the Nigerian Educational Landscape. The objective of the dialogue is to look at issues surrounding the continued discrimination of the holders of the Higher National Diploma certificates and fashion out ways of addressing the age-long problem.
“It is hoped that the national dialogue would look at the proposal to replace the HND programme with Bachelors of Technology (B.Tech); and or to renew the call on Mr President to assent to the bill passed by the National Assembly for an ‘Act to Abolish and Prohibit Dichotomy and Discrimination between First degree and Higher National Diploma in the same Profession/Field for the Purpose of Employment and for Related Matters’ as a panacea to the problem.”
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