The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has called for the scrapping of the Higher National Diploma (HND) to resolve the ongoing professional rivalry between HND and university degree holders in Nigeria.
Speaking at a one-day dialogue on the future of HND in the Nigerian educational landscape, Olaopa emphasized that eliminating the HND would help end the “lingering professional war” between Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) and HND qualifications.
Olaopa advocated for the conversion of polytechnics into degree-awarding institutions, retaining the National Diploma (ND) as a qualifying certificate for entrance into these newly designated universities of technology.
This recommendation follows the suggestions of the Conference of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education (COHEADS) in 2017, which proposed the upgrade of polytechnics to university campuses and the conversion of the largest polytechnics in each geopolitical zone into full-fledged universities of technology.
The President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Shammah Kpanja, also supported this transition, urging that Nigerian polytechnics should offer Bachelor of Technology (BTech) degrees specifically for HND holders. He stressed that the new BTech certificates must be specialized to maintain their relevance and appeal.
Prof. Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), highlighted the persistent discrimination against HND holders within Nigeria’s public service, despite their rigorous five-year study and internship programs.
Bugaje called for addressing these discriminatory practices, noting that the TVET sector plays a crucial role in fostering industrialization and socioeconomic progress in Nigeria.
Bugaje also referenced a recent resolution of a 22-year-old issue regarding HND Pharmacy Technology by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, as a positive step towards resolving similar grievances.
Philip Ogunsipe, President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, pointed out that societal acceptance of HND qualifications is a significant factor in the discrimination faced by HND holders.
He called for legislative action to eliminate this bias, stating the need for exclusive programs run by polytechnic institutions and better infrastructure.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Sununu, lauded the NBTE for its efforts to highlight the importance of skills acquisition by HND holders and expressed hope that the dialogue would shift the perception of HND qualifications, demonstrating their crucial role in national development.
