HND/B.Sc DICHOTOMY: FG Insists HND Holders Must Undergo One-Year Mandatory Training Program

The controversy over the status of the Nigher National Diploma (HND) awarded by Polytechnics, in comparison to the B Sc degree, may have been resolved by the federal government, with a directive that workers with HND must undergo a one-year training before they can convert from the Executive to Officers’ cadre in the civil service.

The directive was contained in a statement issued from the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Yemi-Esan, at the weekend, at a virtual interactive session with civil servants in commemoration of the 2024 Civil Service Week with the theme, “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Life-long, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa”.

It would be recalled that in the heat of the controversy over whether or not the HND was equal to the B Sc degree, a bill was passed by the National Assembly in 2021 to end the dichotomy, but was not signed into law by the then President Muhammadu Buhari.

Consequently, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) had to introduce a one-year training programme which offers a platform for HND holders to level up towards obtaining a Bachelor’s degree.

’The one-year mandatory training program to bridge the gap between Polytechnic awarded Higher National Diplomas and University degrees has been a subject of controvercy between the National Universities Commission and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) 

While fielding a question from one of the civil servants during the virtual meeting, Yemi-Esan, said, “The curriculum for HND and B.Sc holders are not the same, hence, HND graduates would have to undergo mandatory one-year training before conversion from Executive to Officers’ cadre.”