By Daniel Edu
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has officially disassociated itself from the recent initiative by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to introduce a one-year top-up program aimed at elevating the status of Higher National Diploma (HND) holders to the level of a Bachelor’s degree.
Acting Executive Secretary of the NUC, Chris Maiyaki, released a statement in Abuja on Saturday, clarifying the NUC’s position on the matter. This move follows years of ongoing discussions and calls from stakeholders to eliminate the disparity between HNDs awarded by polytechnics and Bachelor’s degrees conferred by universities.
In 2021, a bill was presented in the ninth National Assembly to address this issue, but it was not signed into law by the previous administration.
The NBTE, which oversees technical and vocational education, unveiled a program intended to provide a pathway for HND holders to upgrade their qualifications to a Bachelor’s degree. However, the NUC has made it clear that it does not endorse this initiative.
Maiyaki emphasized that, as of now, there is no law that has eliminated the distinction between a university degree and an HND in Nigeria. He pointed out that technical education, both in Nigeria and worldwide, has its unique place, and the processes and requirements for acquiring a university degree significantly differ from those for HND programs.
Maiyaki also noted that, at the postgraduate level, HND holders are required to obtain a relevant postgraduate diploma (PGD) from a recognized university as one of the admission criteria for master’s degree programs.
The NUC has urged the public and relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to be aware that it does not support or endorse the so-called top-up scheme introduced by the NBTE. The NUC emphasized that the NBTE should focus on its core mandate and refrain from introducing programs that fall outside its jurisdiction and lack legal support in Nigeria.
Maiyaki further clarified that the “Bill for an Act to abolish and prohibit dichotomy and discrimination between First Degree and Higher National Diploma in the same Profession/Field for the Purpose of Employment, and for Related Matters” passed by the 9th National Assembly in 2021 has not been assented to by the President of Nigeria. Consequently, the dichotomy between a university degree and an HND remains, and there is currently no legal framework in place to change this situation.
Maiyaki also highlighted that the NUC is the constitutionally authorized agency for regulating university education in Nigeria, including setting academic standards and accrediting programs, and as such, it is the sole regulatory authority in this domain.
He further stressed that, in most higher education systems, polytechnics and universities coexist alongside each other, each serving its unique role in producing qualified human resources based on their distinct missions and objectives.
