Recently, there has been clash between the National Board for Technical Education and the National Universities Commission over the proposed top-up degree scheme for HND holders deepened on Monday.
The NBTE, in a statement on Monday by its spokesman, Fatima Abubakar, said the scheme was “beyond the jurisdiction of the National Universities Commission,” and asked the commission to stay out of it.
The PUNCH had on Saturday reported that the NUC, in a strongly worded statement, asked the NBTE to suspend action on the planned top-up degree for HND holders.
In the statement, the NUC’s acting Executive Secretary, Chris Maiyaki, accused the NBTE of acting beyond its mandate with the proposed top-up scheme and asked it to drop the “top-up scheme being concocted.”
“The Nigerian educational policy has accommodated that with an Open University approved by the Federal Government and NBTE-approved Open Distance Flexible and e-learning centres being operated by 36 polytechnics at the moment, and the number is growing.”
The NBTE, therefore, cautioned the NUC against “further” discrimination of HND graduates.”
“Nigerian HNDs are much respected globally. Many European countries give them direct admission to Master’s. Last year, a shining example was Miss Islamiyat Ojelade, HND Distinction in Science Lab Technology (Biochemistry) graduate from the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, who last year received PhD admissions and scholarships from seven top US universities, without the BSc. and not even MSc.
“Let us, therefore, start respecting our HNDs here at home and stop this discrimination by NUC and others with this mindset.”
(Punch)