By Otobong Gabriel, Abuja
For decades, Nigeria’s Higher National Diploma (HND) has carried a strange double identity — respected for its technical depth, yet weighed down by systemic discrimination.
Polytechnic graduates have quietly built industries, powered workshops, engineered solutions, and kept the country running. But when it came to career progression, salary structures, and social recognition, many found themselves treated as second-class professionals compared to university degree holders.
Now, that long-standing imbalance may finally be coming to an end.
Last week in Abuja, the Federal Government announced plans to scrap the controversial BSc/HND dichotomy and grant polytechnics the authority to award bachelor’s degrees — a move education stakeholders are already calling historic.
A Turning Point for Technical Education
The announcement came during a high-level retreat attended by governing council chairmen, education commissioners, rectors, registrars, and bursars across the country.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the reform as a landmark policy shift designed to restore dignity to polytechnic education and reposition it as a key driver of national development.
According to him, the goal is simple: end decades of discrimination and give polytechnics the recognition they deserve within Nigeria’s higher education system.
“This is about building a workforce that can create, build and solve real-world problems,” Alausa said, stressing that practical skills and innovation matter more than paper qualifications alone.
Why This Matters
For years, HND holders have faced frustrating barriers.
Despite undergoing similar training periods as university students — and often gaining more hands-on experience — many were overlooked for jobs, denied promotions, or forced to pursue additional degrees just to compete with their BSc counterparts.
The disparity didn’t just affect individuals; it discouraged many young Nigerians from choosing technical and vocational education, weakening a sector that should be the backbone of industrial growth.
This reform aims to change that narrative.
Under the new proposal, polytechnics will retain their strength in applied, industry-focused training while gaining the power to award degrees — effectively leveling the playing field.
What Changes to Expect
With degree-awarding status, polytechnics are expected to:
Attract stronger industry partnerships
Access better funding opportunities
Boost enrollment and public confidence
Produce more job-ready graduates
The policy also aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes job creation, industrial expansion, and human capital development.
Not Just a Name Change
The minister made it clear that the transition will go beyond symbolism.
Strict standards, strong regulatory frameworks, and quality assurance systems will guide implementation to ensure that academic integrity is maintained and that Nigerian polytechnics can compete globally.
In other words, it won’t just be a new title — it will be a real upgrade.
A New Era?
If properly executed, this could mark one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s education history.
For thousands of students who once felt stuck between skill and status, it offers something long overdue: equal recognition.
And for a country eager to industrialize and reduce unemployment, empowering technically skilled graduates might be exactly the step forward Nigeria needs.
The question now isn’t whether polytechnic graduates deserve equal footing.
It’s whether the system is finally ready to give it to them.
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