TRIBUNE
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has described the alleged introduction of a one-year top-up degree programme in Nigerian Polytechnics to enable holders of the Higher National Diploma (HND) convert their certificates to first degree with foreign accredited universities as illegal and usurpation of authority.
The Commission has accordingly advised Nigerians not to waste their time and resources pursuing such a programme that is not recognized and has backing of the law in Nigeria.
Acting Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chris Maiyaki, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, denounced the purported one-year top-up programme introduced by NBTE, saying NUC remains the only agency empowered by law to regulate awards of degrees by institutions in Nigeria.
Maiyaki told the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof Idirs Bugaje that the place of technical education is unique and that there was no basis for causing unnecessary friction over the HND and Bachelor’s degree dichotomy as that is being addressed by the law.
He further explained that in most higher education systems, Polytechnics co-exist side by side with Universities for the purposes of producing critical human resources, based on their peculiarities and in tandem with the the goals for which they were established, abinitio;
Maiyaki said: “The attention of the National Universities Commission (NUC) has been drawn to the news (online) that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has officially introduced a one year top-up degree programme in Nigerian Polytechnics to enable holders of the Higher National Diploma (HND) to convert their certificates to the first degree with foreign accredited universities
“The online news, which was credited to the Executive Secretary of the NBTE, Prof Idirs Bugaje and the Board’s Head of Media Unit, Mrs. Fatima Abubakar, revealed that the action was in furtherance of the advocacy for the removal of the existing dichotomy between degree holders and HND graduates in their various places of work, and to enhance the beneficiaries’ opportunities for further studies.
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