HND programme should be scrapped - Polytechnic chairman

- The executive chairman of The Polytechnic, Ile-Ife, Dr Ramon Adedoyin, has called for the Higher National Diploma to be scrapped

- He described the programme as archaic and outdated, and called for it to be replaced with a B.Tech

- Adedoyin urged the federal govt to upgrade Nigerian polytechnics to degree-awarding institutions

Dr Ramon Adedoyin, the executive chairman of The Polytechnic, Ile-Ife, has called for the outright scrapping of the Higher National Diploma (HND) programme, and its replacement with a Bachelor’s degree in Technology, as obtainable in advanced countries, Vanguard reports.

Adedoyin made his comments during a chat with newsmen; against the backdrop of the federal government’s recent removal of the dichotomy between the holders of HND and university degrees.

Legit.ng notes that the government’s decision was announced by the permanent secretary, service, policies and strategies office of the head of the civil service of the federation, Ndubuisi Osuji, at the 40th National Council on Establishment which took place in Owerri, the Imo state capital.

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He stated: “Though the removal of the disparity between HND and university degree was a welcome idea, what the federal government ought to have done was change all existing polytechnics to degree awarding institutions by directing all polytechnics to affiliate with existing universities; and such universities should admit products of the polytechnics into their 300 level for B.Tech, B.A or B.Sc programmes."

Adedoyin noted that the HND programme had been jettisoned by countries like the US and Britain, who had replaced it with a Bachelor’s degree in Technology. He further described the programme as being archaic and outdated.

He said: “What the government ought to do is upgrade Nigerian polytechnics to degree-awarding institutions, like those in developed countries, so that they can play their most significant role as the pivot for technological development.

“Also, the National Diploma programmes should be classified as professional certificates, which could be used for direct entry admission requirement into university degree programmes."

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Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian government stopped the dichotomy between holders of university degrees and Higher National Diploma (HND). The regularisation followed many years of agitation, and was to be implemented in all government services.

The decision was reached after a meeting of the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Board (CDFIPB) and chaired by the minister of interior, retired Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Dambazau.

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Source: Legit.ng