HND Will Soon Change To Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) – JAMB Registrar

Latest on the B.Sc/HND Disparity: YABATECH Rector Seeks Full Implementation on Removal

The Rector of Yaba college of Technology, Engr. Obafemi Omokungbe has appealed for the removal of the disparities between the university and polytechnic graduates in the Civil Service.

He made this appeal while receiving a three – man delegations from the Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCSF) and the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) led by the Deputy Director, OHCSF, Mrs. Modupe Odubare, who were visiting the College as part of the benchmarking exercise for approval of the revised scheme of service and conditions of service for polytechnics and similar tertiary institutions.

According to him, while government has made known its decision on the abolition of the disparity, its paperwork still does not support the Higher National Diploma graduates.

Engr. Omokungbe however appealed the federal government to harmonize the BSc/ HND graduates by removing the disparities between the two certificates stressing that strict compliance of this, will help promote industrial harmony in the Nigerian Civil Service.

Earlier Updates on the Path to BSc – HND Discrimination Resolution

FG Eliminates HND/BSc Dichotomy In Paramilitary Agencies (July, 2017)

The Federal Government has put to end the dichotomy between holders of University degrees (BSc) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in all the Para-military services.

Consequently, the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Board has directed that all officers with HND should be upgraded to COMPASS 08, which is the salary grade level for holders of degree certificates at entry point.

This approval came after the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Board (CDFIPB) meeting held on Tuesday, 11th July 2017 which was chaired by the Minister of Interior, Lt Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau

According to a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abubakar Magaji, “The board directed that all officers with HND to be upgraded to COMPASS 08, which is the salary grade level for holders of degree certificates at entry point.

“While the nomenclature for the HND holders will start with the rank of Senior Inspector, the degree holders are with the rank of Assistant Superintendent II.”

Resolution of B.Sc-HND Dichotomy (August, 2016)

National Council on Establishment has resolved to end the dichotomy between the Higher National Diploma, HND and the Bachelor of Science Degree, B.Sc. holders.

It was learnt that the National Council on Establishment has resolved that the entry point for HND holders into the civil service would henceforth be Grade Level 08, just like their bachelor degree holder counterparts.

This is in a bid to end the HND-BSc. dichotomy.

The Council equally approved the postgraduate diploma (PGD) as the bridge programme for holders of the Higher National Diploma (HND) to rise to the peak of their career just like their degree holders counterparts.

Before now, a polytechnic graduate with HND cannot be employed into the civil service on Grade Level 8 and cannot rise beyond Level 15 without additional qualifications (including a master’s degree), while a bachelor’s degree holder enters on Grade Level 08 and can rise to the peak at Grade Level 17 (equivalent of the Permanent Secretary cadre).

If a HND holder aspires to get to that level, he/she will have to obtain a PGD in relevant disciplines and also obtain a master’s degree before attaining the level a bachelors’ degree holder could attain, even without a second degree.

However, with this new development, HND holders will only need to acquire postgraduate diploma in relevant field from an accredited institution/university to attain the same status with their university graduate counterparts.

HND will soon change to Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) – JAMB Registrar (August, 2016)

Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, the registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is willing to implement the waver that will end the Bsc and HND dichotomy.

Buhari had received the updated report on the Bsc and HND controversy, which was presented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, MacJohn Nwaobiala last Tuesday.

Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, Ojerinde recalled that the last administration set up a committee to look at how the two could be merged.

Continuing he said, “The system has not given adequate vision for the other levels of education. We have not encouraged technical education, we have not encouraged Teachers education also; in fact, we have not encouraged agricultural education to the extent that everybody feels that the only way to survive is to go to the University.

“The only way to make it is to have a degree; so I am saying we should revisit our system, we should look at why candidates don’t want to go to polytechnics, and we should look at why they don’t want teachers’ education; we should also revisit why they don’t want agriculture.

“By our experience, most people will like to study law, engineering, medicine, accountancy, these are the top courses been sought for in the universities; nobody wants to study education. So, I see we have problem in that area and I am sure the Federal Ministry of Education is trying to solve that problem.

“First of all Technical Education, there’s dichotomy between Bachelors degree and National Diploma or Higher National Diploma, (HND). It was one of the things presented to Mr. President to find a way of implementing the waiver of the dichotomy between HND and the Bsc degree. The so called HND should now be changed to Btech which means Bachelor of Technology.

“Former President Musa Yar’Adua may his soul rest in peace, said he doesn’t have any problem with Btech. Unfortunately, government also has not sorted this entire problem. And there are such cases of people like me in this country, I wouldn’t have been able to read, I wouldn’t have been able to go to school. So what I am saying is, government should look at how we can improve technical education.

“Let me refer to what Oby Ezekwensili the former Minister of Education said, she was determined to implement Btech in our Technical System, college of Education. All this places should be well equipped for Btech.

“Four colleges of Education have been upgraded to universities of Education, you will see the rush into those universities now because they can now get bachelor’s degree. And when they come to the public, they will not be a push away. So this is where we are, I think if I go by what we saw on Wednesday, President Buhari and the Vice President listened and they were interested in what we presented”.