Gerard Izuora
The proprietor, The Polytechnic, Ile-Ife, and Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State, Dr. Ramon Adedoyin, has called for the scrapping of the higher national diploma programmes.
Adedoyin said the HND should be replaced with Bachelor’s degree in technology as obtained in advanced nations.
The educationist was reacting to the decision of the Federal Government to remove the disparity between the holders of HND and university degree holders.
In a statement on Thursday, Adedoyin noted that though the removal of the disparity between HND and university degree was a welcome idea, what the Federal Government ought to do was to convert all existing polytechnics to degree-awarding institutions and direct all polytechnics to affiliate with existing universities.
Adedoyin advised that such universities should then admit the products of the polytechnics into their 300 Level for B.Tech, B.A or B.Sc programmes.
He said, “The present HND programme is archaic and outdated which is why developed countries like the United States and Britain, which Nigerian educational system is modelled after, have jettisoned the programme a long time ago in favour of Bachelor’s degree in Technology.
“I advise the government to retain the national diploma programmes as professional certificates which could be used as direct entry admission requirement into university degree programmes.”
He noted that because of the refusal of the government to upgrade polytechnics to degree-awarding institutions, Nigerian polytechnics had not been able to play their true roles as the pivot for technological development.