Idris Bugaje, executive secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has defended the push for polytechnics to award bachelor’s degrees.
Bugaje said the move would eliminate the long-standing discrimination against higher national diploma (HND) holders.
On Tuesday, bill seeking to empower polytechnics to award bachelor’s degrees passed second reading at the house of representatives.
In an interview with TheCable, Bugaje described the perceived superiority of university degrees over HNDs as a “Nigerian mentality” that has stunted the career growth of polytechnic graduates.
He claimed that HND holders in the public service cannot rise beyond grade level 14, while university graduates can attain directorship positions, despite having similar qualifications.
“At the moment, an HND holder in public service cannot go beyond grade level 14, whereas a university graduate can rise to become a director. There is no real practical reason for this,” Bugaje said.
To address this, NBTE is advocating for polytechnics to phase out HND programmes and introduce bachelor of technology degrees.
He said degrees would differ from those offered by universities by placing equal emphasis on character, learning, and practical skills.
According to Bugaje, polytechnics in Ghana and South Africa already offer both HNDs and bachelor’s degrees.
He recalled that during his sabbatical in South Africa 21 years ago, the institution where he worked allowed students to choose between the two qualifications.
“This will be a degree different from a university degree. In universities, you give degrees based on character and learning. In polytechnics, we shall give degrees based on character, learning, and skills,” Bugaje added.
“In South Africa, the polytechnic where I did my sabbatical 21 years ago was offering both HND and bachelor of technology degrees concurrently. It is the choice of the candidate.”
He noted that the proposed reform would give polytechnic graduates a clearer career path, allowing them to pursue postgraduate studies and rise to top positions, including heading polytechnics — roles currently dominated by university graduates.
Beyond the HND-to-degree transition, Bugaje also said NBTE is pushing for the establishment of a National Commission for Technical Education to replace the board.
He said an initial proposal for a National Polytechnic Commission was dismissed by the new minister of education as “dead on arrival”, but after modifications, the idea of a National Commission for Technical Education was accepted.
Bugaje said such a commission would place technical education on the same level as universities and attract better funding.
“We had a public hearing at the national assembly for a National Polytechnic Commission, but when the new minister of education came in, he dismissed it as ‘dead on arrival’. However, I modified the proposal to a National Commission for Technical Education, and he agreed,” Bugaje added.
“Right now, the National Universities Commission (NUC) gets a much bigger budget. The polytechnics are struggling with underfunding.”
He stressed that Nigeria must prioritise skill acquisition, especially as industries evolve and the future of work becomes more competitive.
