Poly students urge Tinubu to make BSc/HND equal, end dichotomy

The National Association of Nigerian Polytechnic Students (NANPS), along with other stakeholders, is urging the Federal Government, specifically President Bola Tinubu, to enact legislation that will eliminate the distinction between Bachelor degrees and Higher National Diplomas (HND) in the country.

Currently, there is a disparity in how these two qualifications are perceived in the job market, with university degrees often considered superior to HND certificates, especially in the civil service.

In response, the polytechnic students, through the Senate arm of the association, have decided to organize a one-day rally in Lagos to bring attention to this issue.

The rally, dubbed ‘Save Polytechnic Education,’ aims to prompt President Tinubu to address the dichotomy before May 29. This demand for equality between the two academic qualifications has long been advocated by stakeholders in polytechnic education.

Despite the passage of a bill by the previous National Assembly aimed at addressing this issue, it did not receive assent from then-President Muhammadu Buhari before he left office.