A bill seeking to eliminate the discrimination between Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor’s Degree holders has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas explained that the bill proposes replacing HND with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) to allow polytechnic graduates to compete on equal footing with their university counterparts.
Sponsored by Fuad Laguda from Lagos State, the bill also emphasizes the significance of technical education and aims to restructure polytechnic qualifications.
Abbas noted that polytechnic boards across Nigeria support the abolition of the HND qualification, advocating for a hybrid education system where:
- Degree programs in polytechnics will be overseen by the National Universities Commission (NUC)
- National Diploma (ND) programs will remain under the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)
Additionally, the bill proposes that polytechnic rectors must hold a Ph.D., aligning with the academic structure of universities.
Following a voice vote, lawmakers approved the bill, allowing it to proceed to the next legislative stage