The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the National Universities Commission (NUC) concerning the introduction of a one-year top-up program for polytechnic graduates to convert their Higher National Diploma (HND) into bachelor’s degrees.
This comes after the NUC objected to the NBTE’s plan, claiming it was beyond the NBTE’s authority.
In response to the NUC’s position, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Professor Idris Bugaje, issued a strong-worded statement, conveying the board’s frustration with NUC’s stance on the conversion policy in a letter to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman.
In the letter to the minister, NBTE spokesperson Fatima Abubakar quoted Professor Bugaje, advising the NUC to refrain from further discrimination against HND graduates. The NBTE clarified that the board’s role is primarily in providing HND curricula content for credit mapping and potential credit transfer admissions, while the admissions and degree awards are the responsibility of foreign universities. This process is designed to function independently without direct involvement from the NBTE.
The NBTE also highlighted that they do not have a financial stake in this endeavor and that the low tuition fees are intended to make the program more accessible. They emphasized that online programs are recognized worldwide as a viable mode of education delivery.
Furthermore, HND qualifications from Nigeria are highly respected internationally, with many European countries offering direct admissions for postgraduate studies based on HND credentials. An example cited was a graduate who received PhD admissions and scholarships from seven top US universities with an HND Distinction.
