Poly Lecturers Drum Support HND to BSc Conversion

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The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has said it is in support of the National Board for Technical Education’s online top-up programme for Higher National Diploma holders to convert their certification to Bachelor’s Degree through online top-up for one year, with foreign accredited universities.

Although National President, ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, confirmed that the NBTE decision validated the union’s position that the HND vs Degree dichotomy was demarketing Nigerian Polytechnics.

Recall that the NBTE board disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday by its Head of Media Unit, Mrs Fatima Abubakar.

Abubakar said this was also to facilitate the progression of HND holders to higher degrees.

She said, “Attempts in the past to get the National Universities Commission to approve a two-year Master of Technology for HND holders in some polytechnics did not see the light of the day.

“Many times, HND Holders are forced to go for a one-year Postgraduate Diploma before they could be admitted into the Master’s Program in Universities.”

”To end this unwarranted prejudice, NBTE has now created this progression pathway for HND holders.”

ASUP also demanded a policy decision to accredit qualified polytechnics for the award of Bachelor of Technology degrees in science and technology-related disciplines in place of HND.

He, however, said, “The move by NBTE validates our Union’s position that the HND vs Degree dichotomy is demarketing Nigerian Polytechnics and also the fact that the award of degrees by Polytechnics and gradual phasing out of HND is the sustainable way to go.

“However, despite this move by NBTE, our union remains consistent in its demand for a policy decision to accredit qualified Polytechnics for the award of Bachelor of Technology degrees in science and technology-related disciplines in place of HND while retaining the OND program for middle-level manpower development for the country.

“Such a move will save Polytechnics from extinction as enrollment figures continue to dwindle in the face of the poor value placed on HND holders by employers of labour both in the public and private sector.”

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has said it is in support of the National Board for Technical Education’s online top-up programme for Higher National Diploma holders to convert their certification to Bachelor’s Degree through online top-up for one year, with foreign accredited universities.

Although National President, ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, confirmed that the NBTE decision validated the union’s position that the HND vs Degree dichotomy was demarketing Nigerian Polytechnics.

Recall that the NBTE board disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday by its Head of Media Unit, Mrs Fatima Abubakar.

Abubakar said this was also to facilitate the progression of HND holders to higher degrees.

She said, “Attempts in the past to get the National Universities Commission to approve a two-year Master of Technology for HND holders in some polytechnics did not see the light of the day.

“Many times, HND Holders are forced to go for a one-year Postgraduate Diploma before they could be admitted into the Master’s Program in Universities.”

”To end this unwarranted prejudice, NBTE has now created this progression pathway for HND holders.”

ASUP also demanded a policy decision to accredit qualified polytechnics for the award of Bachelor of Technology degrees in science and technology-related disciplines in place of HND.

He, however, said, “The move by NBTE validates our Union’s position that the HND vs Degree dichotomy is demarketing Nigerian Polytechnics and also the fact that the award of degrees by Polytechnics and gradual phasing out of HND is the sustainable way to go.

“However, despite this move by NBTE, our union remains consistent in its demand for a policy decision to accredit qualified Polytechnics for the award of Bachelor of Technology degrees in science and technology-related disciplines in place of HND while retaining the OND program for middle-level manpower development for the country.

“Such a move will save Polytechnics from extinction as enrollment figures continue to dwindle in the face of the poor value placed on HND holders by employers of labour both in the public and private sector.”