The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the scrapping of the
award of the Higher National Diploma (HND) by polytechnics in the
country.
Thus, the Federal Government has restricted the award to only the
students currently on admission for the various programmes, in a
move the Minister of Education Dr. Adamu Adamu stated forms part of the
comprehensive reform of the tertiary education sector. This is just as the Federal Government is set to scrap programmes
currently being run by the polytechnics, which are not technology-based.
According to the minister, under the new rule, the polytechnics will now
become campuses of the proximate universities with the Vice Chancellors
of those universities appointing provosts for the polytechnics, subject
to the ratification of the Universities’ Councils.
Adamu stated that with the new arrangement, polytechnics will now be
limited to award of the National Diploma (ND) while those desirous of
further education will be awarded the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech)
by the proximate university.
He stated that two most polytechnics – Yaba College of Technology and
Kaduna Polytechnic, will change their nomenclature as they would now be
known as City University of Technology, Yaba and City University of
Technology, Kaduna.
And to give legal teeth to these approvals, the FEC approved the
submission of two Executive bills to the National Assembly for enactment
into law. He however added that states that are interested can borrow the FG’s
model, “But if they do not wish to follow the federal example, their
programmes will continue to be regulated by the relevant agencies of the
Federal Ministry of Education.”
Mall
Adamu said: “The HND certificate will remain a legal tender in Nigeria and
holders of such certificate will continue to be recognized as the equivalent of
first degree holders without discriminatory remunerations and limit to
progression in the work place. The NCE certificate will be retained as the
minimum teaching qualification at the basic level of education. Any higher
qualifications by these private or state owned polytechnics will be only
affiliated with a university. So, HND is no longer in existence, but existing
HND will be respected and considered legal tender.” The council also approved
the Federal Governments formal takeover of the Waziri Umaru Polytechnic, Bernin
Kebbi, which will be College of Technology campus of the Othman Dan Fodio
University, Sokoto, as well as the Hussuen Adamu Polytechnic, Kazaure Bauchi,
which will be a College of Technology of the proximate university in the state.
Also, the Alvan Ikoku College of Technology of Education, Owerri, Imo State,
has been taken over as a campus of the Federal University of Technology,
Owerri.
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