Polytechnics To Award Only ND As FG Scraps HND Certificate
-New Rules For Polytechnics Emerge
The Federal Government has said “there will be no more award of HND Certificates” by Polytechnics.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said this after the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting which held yesterday in Abuja.
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He revealed that the award of HND will be limited to only the students currently admitted for the programmes.
He also noted that all the programmes currently being run by polytechnics, which are not technology-based will be scrapped.
The polytechnics will now be limited to award of the National Diploma (ND), while those desirous of further education will be awarded the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) by the proximate university.
According to him, the two most prominent Nigerian polytechnics – Yaba College of Technology and Kaduna Polytechnic – will henceforth be known as City University of Technology, Yaba and City University of Technology, Kaduna.
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He said, “There will be no more award of HND.
“After we have exhausted the current students under the programme, there will be no more award of HND. This means that there will be no fresh admission for HND programmes. And in addition, any programme that is not technical will be out of the polytechnics.
“About 70 per cent of polytechnic graduates are in the non-technical courses. It is going to be a rigorous implementation programme.
“The HND certificate will remain a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such certificate will continue to be recognised as the equivalent of first degree holders without discriminatory remunerations and limit to progression in the work place.
“The NCE certificate will be retained as the minimum teaching qualification at the basic level of education. Any higher qualifications by these private or state-owned polytechnics will be done only affiliation with a university. So, HND is no longer in existence, but existing HND will be respected and considered legal tender.”
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Adamu said a ministerial committee to ensure the smooth implementation of the policy is to begin work immediately.
