Today, rectors and provosts of polytechnics and other technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions across Nigeria will meet to discuss a proposal to replace the Higher National Diploma (HND) program with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree.
The meeting was convened by the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE), as confirmed in a letter signed by the Director of Human Resources, Lawal Hafiz. The letter was addressed to all rectors and provosts in the country.
The key objectives of the meeting are:
1. To discuss the issues surrounding the continued discrimination faced by HND holders in employment and promotion compared to their university degree counterparts.
2. To consider the proposal to replace the HND program with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree.
3. To renew the call for the President to assent to a bill passed by the National Assembly that seeks to abolish the dichotomy and discrimination between first degrees and the HND.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Ayo Akinyelure, has already passed the third reading in the Senate. The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Ibrahim Shekarau, stated that enacting this bill would “free holders of HND from stagnation and ensure balanced treatment with their counterparts from other higher tertiary institutions in Nigeria.”
The NBTE letter emphasized the need to find ways to address this long-standing problem of discrimination faced by HND holders in the workplace. The national dialogue is expected to thoroughly examine the proposed replacement of HND with B.Tech and explore other solutions to this issue.