The PUNCH can confirm that today, on Tuesday, rectors and provosts of polytechnics and other TVET-awarding institutions will debate the proposal to replace the HND curriculum with a Bachelor of Technology.
The National Board of Technical Education's Director of Human Resources, Lawal Hafiz, signed a letter to all Rectors and Provosts in Nigeria, stating that the meeting would give members a 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.
The goal of the bill is to end the practice of hiring and promoting polytechnic graduates less favourably than university graduates. Additionally, the bill aims to eradicate the prejudice that polytechnic stakeholders have long tried to eradicate.
On the Senate floor during plenary, the bill, which was sponsored by Senator Ayo Akinyelure, passed its third reading. "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," stated Ibrahim Shekarau (APC, Kano Central), the Chairman of the Joint Committee, in his remarks on the bill. "I write to invite you to a one-day national dialogue on the future of Higher National Diploma programme in the Nigerian Educational Landscape," said a portion of the NBTE letter.
The goal of the discussion is to examine the problems related to the ongoing prejudice against holders of Higher National Diploma certificates and devise solutions for the long-standing issue.
The idea that the HND programme be replaced with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) is intended to be examined in the national dialogue. Additionally, the call for Mr. President to sign the bill passed by the National Assembly, titled "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," should be renewed in order to address the issue.
Source:punch.com