Reps Advances Bill to End HND-Degree Dichotomy

The House of Representatives has taken a significant step toward ending the long-standing dichotomy and discrimination between Bachelor’s Degree and Higher National Diploma (HND) holders, as a bill seeking to harmonize both qualifications scaled second reading on Tuesday.

Sponsored by Hon. Fuad Laguda from Lagos State, the bill proposes replacing the HND with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.), ensuring that polytechnic graduates can compete favorably with their university counterparts in the labor market.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, emphasized the broad support for the initiative, citing the position of polytechnic boards across the country. According to him, stakeholders advocate for the abolition of the HND and the adoption of the B.Tech. degree, which would also lead to a hybrid regulatory model.

“At the same time, they are calling for hybrid supervision, where the degree component of polytechnic education will be handled by the National Universities Commission (NUC), while the National Diploma will remain under the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE),” Abbas stated.

Another key provision in the bill is the minimum qualification requirement for rectors of polytechnics, proposing that only Ph.D. holders should be eligible for the position. The Speaker argued that since polytechnics would be offering degree programs, it is only logical that their heads possess the highest academic qualification.

Following a voice vote, the lawmakers unanimously approved the bill for a second reading, marking a crucial step toward its possible passage into law.

If enacted, this legislation will bridge the divide between polytechnic and university graduates, a disparity that has long been a source of contention in Nigeria’s education and employment sectors.