The House of Representatives has passed a bill ending the dichotomy between the Higher National Diploma awarded by Polytechnics and the Bachelor of Science degree awarded by the Nigerian universities.
The bill, sponsored by Ali Isa and Edward Pwajok from Gombe and Plateau States, respectively, was passed for second reading in April 2017.
The bill also seeks to end the perceived discrimination against polytechnic graduates and remove the problems being faced by HND holders, especially those in the public service.
The House of Representatives has passed the bill abolishing the age long dichotomy between Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor’s of Science (BSc) degree holders in the country.
The bill which is titled, “a bill for an act to abolish and prohibit dichotomy and discrimination between first degrees and HND in the same profession”, seeks to bring to an end, the consistent discrimination against polytechnic graduates and address other challenges faced HND holders face in the public service.
It would be recalled that the House in April 2017, read the bill for a second time. Also recall that, the federal government recently abolished the dichotomy in the ministry of interior.
Speaking on the bill, one of the sponsors, Hon. Edward Pwajok, while lamenting the dichotomy, said that the practice would open up the status of Nigeria’s educational institutions to ridicule. Pwakoj noted the practice which places HND holders on grade level 6 or 7, as against grade level 8 for degree holder, also reflects in salary structure as some organisations pay degree holders N100,000 at entry level, while their counterparts with HND get N70,000.
To end the existing qualifications dichotomy between the Higher National Diploma (HND) and bachelor’s of science (BSc) degree holders in the country.
The bill seeks to end the long-aged discrimination against polytechnic graduates and remove the challenges faced by HND holders, especially those in the public service.
