My fellow Nairaland members,l must really say that you are very correct for the discrimination as regards employing those wit 2.2,inasmuch that the circumstances that have led to my fellow nairaland members wit 2.2,that does not mean it is the end of the road.Although,l am in the 2.1 category,but l know of some many of my colleagues with 2.2 who are very good.
  Moreso,l will advise that you start to invest in yourselves so that the 2.2 syndrome does not take you backward.You can also try and start a Masters programme which i believe is a good way of getting out of the job discrimination against the 2.2's.

the nigeria system recognises mostly paper certificate irrespective of where or how u get ur degree

try taking short courses in computer-related subjects so u can have more qualification/skills

Never sell yourself short

nigerian companies want the best of the best among the millions applying for little jobs

Good luck

You cannot blame the poor companies. with millions of so-called qualified candidates vying for a few hundred jobs, there just has to be a way to prune the number down to a manageable size, what else to use besides your paper qualification?

If the ads had read "for 1st class, 2'1 and 2'2 only, you would not have complained, imagine the catalog of "marginalised" 3rd class holders complaints too!

The companies have NO way of evaluating each candidate besides their paper qualifications that is why your argument of "good" 2'2s that are better than 2'1s is not tenable. The way to go is to work hard! Many students in school do not think of tomorrow. Few remember that school is not the end of the road and that your paper qualifications "no matter how bad" may be the difference between a meal or starvation. Most especially the ladies go about school so nonchallantly you are forced to think they all come from rich families. Agreed some bought their degrees, but that is no reason to discriminate against the vast majority who genuinely worked for and deserved their grades, if companies give them special preference, it is simply a reward for hard work.

I read through the first posters posts and i can't but wonder how someone with a university degree is so bad at english, if i were an employer, your construction of grammer is enough to put me off hiring you.
Go build yourself up, work harder next time and aim to be the best, stop blaming others who are duly rewarded for their hardwork for your own misfortunes. I know it's hard to accept, not every one can finish with a 1st class or 2'1 but that should not be grounds to blame them.
If the grounds were thrown open to 2'2s, then on what basis should 3rd class holders be discriminated against? Since going by your own arguments, there are some 3rd class holders that are better than some with 2'2!

dear sister, i feel your pain.i know what it is to see the dream job and cant apply cos yu came out with a 2.2, sometimes it is our fault that we didnt do well,sometimes it could have been cos of bad counselling.for me it was no counselling.when i went into school first year,it was only about passing exams.i later found out that it was not just passing exams but passing them with very good grades.i found out later that no matter how hard i worked,i was not going to come out with a 2.1,so i started investing in myself to make me more marketable.now i am CCNA certified,working on my CCNP.It gives me an edge sometimes,even with my colleagues who have 2.1.i advis you to look for all the things in your field that will make you more marketable and give you an edge.it could be masters,an IT certification,ICAN, a language course.anything that will put icing on your qualifications,work for it and get it.when next that employer sees your CV,he'll call you instead of the guy with 2.1,
but remember, it is not to him that willeth or runneth but,it is God that shows mercy.
all things are possible to them that believe.

@emmyray,

Yours is the best and most objective post so far. i like your being willing to accept that whether you score a 2'1 or 2'2 lies squarely on your own shoulders, it shows unlike the first poster a responsible individual.

May God bless your efforts!

We have heard enough of Discrimination against HND graduates …Now its 1st class/ 2:1 against 2:2…not to talk of 3rd class.

Lets not forget also brewing is the discrimination of State owned University graduates .



The Truth be Told…This whole thing is Damm stupid…No policy to regulate employers and our labor laws ,(that’s if we even have any )is so wack,even government is the main proponent of these discrimination…We all cant go to federal universities, we all cant pass out with 1st or 2:! Degrees…that don’t mean we don’t have anything to offer,if that’s the case I think all folks in school that are heading for graduation with a 2:2 should quit school while they are ahead @ least they know what awaits them and that 2:2 degree ( nothing but stupid discrimination) as for Poly student….all I can say is that U Guys need a refund of all fees paid to your schools thus far, that will do u a lot of good in business.

is 2.2 2nd class lower or wat?

Employers have every right to discriminate against anybody. You have every right to create your own job.

Seun 

we know say u wan become rich at all cost but please be rational some topics are sensitive to people

Employees have every right to discriminate against anybody

Well, I have read through all the posts on these issue and though I love silent reading. It affects me in a way so I have to write. I am a graduate of Computer science with a third class degree from a Nigerian University of course. Unfortunately, I didn't have a god father or 'uncle' in my department to make me have better scores, and after I was told by a lecturer that I needed to date one of them to have good grades, I was happy to leave with my third class, peace of mind AND a determination to prove to all that you don't need to compromise yourself to get to wherever you are headed. Finding a good job is as hard as it comes but hey! I know that with this drive and passion in me, I would be a good enterpreneur and I would get to employ the 1st class, 2.1s, 2.2s and any other person who proves they can deliver and move my company to great heights. Too much emphasis is being placed on having a degree in this country. And the companies end up employing misfits for the jobs because of a paper record which cannot be defended. Some people in developed countries don't have an education and yet live this life making use of their hands and talents without a hitch. I guess I have written too much and I hope the first and second class degree holders can match me on this one!

jayk:

Well, I have read through all the posts on these issue and though I love silent reading. It affects me in a way so I have to write. I am a graduate of Computer science with a third class degree from a Nigerian University of course. Unfortunately, I didn't have a god father or 'uncle' in my department to make me have better scores, and after I was told by a lecturer that I needed to date one of them to have good grades,

Sorry but i just had to comment on your several misconceptions. First you seem to indicate that those that made 1st class or 2'1 are 1. misfits who simply have paper qualifications and 2. either obtained their degrees by compromising their morals or 3. required godfathers to obtain their degs.
Absolute bunkum! I know of several female friends who worked HARD to obtain good grades from school and DID NOT have to compromise! Many 1st class or 2'1 holders are excellent materials who may be handicapped intellectually compared to their western counterparts due to the lack of practical lab materials to work with.

I was happy to leave with my third class, peace of mind AND a determination to prove to all that you don't need to compromise yourself to get to wherever you are headed. Finding a good job is as hard as it comes but hey! I know that with this drive and passion in me, I would be a good enterpreneur and I would get to employ the 1st class, 2.1s, 2.2s and any other person who proves they can deliver and move my company to great heights.

You would have been better of applying that "peace of mind" and "determination" to study hard for better grades in school. It would have served you better.

Too much emphasis is being placed on having a degree in this country.

Please show me ANY industrialized nation that does not place"TOO MUCH" emphasis on getting a degree. I was watching a program on TV a week ago and an official of the US dept of education declared that the world has changed and most students are now encouraged to take up science in order to catch up with the asians! Why do you think the Americans spend a whopping amount of money into scientific research?
Is it possible for hospitals to recruit doctors who had no degree? What of nurses, engineers, pilots, bankers? Have they outlived their relevance or can we get them without their haing to obtain degrees?

And the companies end up employing misfits for the jobs because of a paper record which cannot be defended.

All the doctors in our hospitals are misfits, excellent engineers working with Shell and Mobil are also misfits, the economists with 1st class degrees are misfits too. If 1st class and 2'1 students are classified as misfits, what would you classify 3rd class holders?

Some people in developed countries don't have an education and yet live this life making use of their hands and talents without a hitch.

Enough has been said about the likes of Bill Gates who had no college education and yet became the richest man in the world! Unless i have lost my mind, Bill Gates did not get to his height by employing uneducated people like him! The man is presently pressuring the US senate to relax immigration rules to enable him hire excellent engineers from asia and Europe! The developed world has changed, unless you want to end up living on welfare or working 2 or 3 jobs just to pay your bills, a college degree has become very improtant in the US, kids are now being encouraged to reach up to a masters or PHD degree with numerous loans, scholarships and fellowships from whih international students are benefiting!

I guess I have written too much and I hope the first and second class degree holders can match me on this one!

You wrote "so much" but said virtually nothing in the end.

but u have to know that some would work hard but still fail because they won't give their profs. wat they wanted thereby failing dem. it is possible and have happened, well, itz all in God's hard for anyone with less than wat compaines in NIgeria r looking for. Keep looking and good luck

Dear davidylan, i would reply you appropraitely after you become female and spend a day having to face the various issues we do as females in the nigerian society.

They funny part is that most of those with 2,1 are not even so smart! I once sat in on an interview panel. It was a telecommunications company recruiting for Client executives, I was helping with the sreening of candidates before they face the panel of Directors. There was a particular girl that came with a 2,1 cert and got the panel excited. When they asked her to name 5 countires in Asia, she was like canada, London, the interviwers then told her to stop and asked her if she knew where Asia was? Her answer- ASIA IS AN AFRICAN CONTINENT!I was shocked to my bone marrow! Believe me, all those who came for that interview with 2,1's were less impressive than those with 2,2's and 3rd class.

Most of them just studied to pass thier exams and learnt nothing in school. Some, especially the girls, got it through dubious means and have nothing upstairs to show for it.

Am not trying to say that all 2,1's are like that, but I believe companys should give everyone the benefit of an interview first as long as they graduated with honours.

On second thoughts, my dear davidylan, this is my response, the message I was trying to pass across is life is what you make out of it. I didn't say ALL first and second class degree holders fall into the misfit category but judging from a survey on the quality of graduates from our Nigerian universities, I can write on that. In our usual way, we read without understanding and are quick to give an opinion regardless. Even the wisest man - King Solomon of Judah knew that acquiring all the wisdom he could brought nothing but more unrest AND don't get me wrong here before you would say next that Jayk is an advocate for illiteracy. We have the best of hands still rely on traditional herb remedies on some health issues obviously administered by people who didn't go to school and let's not go into the academicians whom after going through all the jobs et all leave to farm, sew, make music, etc. People who suceed are those who have a passion for whatever it is they are doing (even if its selling peanuts on the streets). Like I say, I would employ the first and second class graduates in my companies and of course you as I guess you'll still be combing nairaland for jobs.

We have the best of hands still rely on traditional herb remedies on some health issues obviously administered by people who didn't go to school and let's not go into the academicians whom after going through all the jobs et all leave to farm, sew, make music, etc.

Excuse the error in that paragraph. It was meant to read why is it that we have the best of hands employed in the hospitals and yet still rely on traditional herb remedies on some health issues obviously administered by people who didn't go to school and let's not go into the academicians whom after going through all the jobs et all leave to farm, sew, make music, etc.

@Jayk

Make i laugh first,

I would employ the first and second class graduates in my companies and of course you as I guess you'll still be combing nairaland for jobs.

Combing Nairaland for Jobs? My dear God forbid that i should leave here to join you guys in the "favor" market!

I am not saying there are no 3rd class or 2'2 students who are not better than some with 2'1 particularly the women! There are, the point is how do you as a ompany weed out when you have 10000 applications for 2 jobs in your company? of course the first thing you'd want to do is use the paper qualifications. Interviews are then meant to weed out those who have the pali but no brains. Don't blame the poor companies.
Stop using the "herbal medicine people" as an example, we now live in a global age, education is key to your progress in life now, even americans who could count on govt support in the form of welfare are now begining to realise a college degree may make the difference between life as a middle class or as a struggling fella.

In our usual way, we read without understanding and are quick to give an opinion regardless.

where you refering to yourself here? I suppose so cos i also finished from a nigerian college and i am well aware of the issues you raised. This is not the first or 50th time i would come across the same line of argument. I have given a fair oppinion, yours has been based primarily on sentiments, trying to justify your own situation without looking at the other side of the coin. What about those with genuine 1st class degrees who are still roaming the streets today? At least i know of 2 friends who graduated with 1st class degrees (excellent guys!) who have no jobs today. Does that seem justified? And you with a 3rd class is complaining to the high heavens.
Stop attempting to justify a third class, NOT ALL FEMALES come out with a 3rd class simply for refusing to sleep with their lecturers, a few are genuine victims, the vast majority do not put in much effort and then try to hide under the victimisation umbrella!

davidylan:

@Jayk

Make i laugh first,
Combing Nairaland for Jobs? My dear God forbid that i should leave here to join you guys in the "favor" market!

I am not saying there are no 3rd class or 2'2 students who are not better than some with 2'1 particularly the women! There are, the point is how do you as a ompany weed out when you have 10000 applications for 2 jobs in your company? of course the first thing you'd want to do is use the paper qualifications. Interviews are then meant to weed out those who have the pali but no brains. Don't blame the poor companies.
Stop using the "herbal medicine people" as an example, we now live in a global age, education is key to your progress in life now, even americans who could count on govt support in the form of welfare are now begining to realise a college degree may make the difference between life as a middle class or as a struggling fella.
where you refering to yourself here? I suppose so because i also finished from a nigerian college and i am well aware of the issues you raised. This is not the first or 50th time i would come across the same line of argument. I have given a fair oppinion, yours has been based primarily on sentiments, trying to justify your own situation without looking at the other side of the coin. What about those with genuine 1st class degrees who are still roaming the streets today? At least i know of 2 friends who graduated with 1st class degrees (excellent guys!) who have no jobs today. Does that seem justified? And you with a 3rd class is complaining to the high heavens.
Stop attempting to justify a third class, NOT ALL FEMALES come out with a 3rd class simply for refusing to sleep with their lecturers, a few are genuine victims, the vast majority do not put in much effort and then try to hide under the victimisation umbrella!

Well said, Davidylan! I was going to comment, but saw you were doing a good job.

It is a common flaw of humankind to always try to blame someone else for our situations in life.

There are three major reasons for not being able to make a good honours degree:1. You're not smart enough. 2. You're not willing to work hard, go the extra mile if need be and use your time responsibly. 3. You've been a hapless victim of circumstances beyond your control (victimisation, sickness, financial difficulties, etc.).

The vast majority of people that complain fall into the second and first categories, in that order.

It would probably be more effective to conduct a synopsis of the circumstances that led to your not performing as well as you would have wished, and try to make corrections for the future.

You my dear friend davidylan keep missing the point here. My message in the first text as I keep saying is, Life is what you make out of it. I may not have had the best of results, but I am doing something credible and making a living without needing to be employed by any company. I'm not whinning on nairaland. If you discover your God given talent, you wouldn't need the usual paid employment to make something out of your life. The pleasure of doing something you enjoy with peace of mind is enough to feel fulfilled in this life. As for your first class friends who are still jobless, I guess its up to you to prove they are not the typical "cram & reproduce" students who simply read to pass exams. They should be smart enough in our real world to get any job they please with their status as first class graduates. They shouldn't wait to be called for any interviews but walk in proudly to any organisation and ask to be interviewed for a position they know they are fit for. That's what being "first class" is all about. Unless they are afraid to defend their degree when it comes to the basics or better still are still searching for greener pastures in the usual human insatiable way. There is more victimisation by male lecturers to female students than you know and thankfully the more we begin to share our experiences and speak against it, the better we are at creating an awareness which is a step to putting an end to it.
Thanks for making me contribute this much to a particular topic -I should be nominated as the next moderator.
P.s: Maybe I can give your first class friends a job!

Thanks @JayK, Please don't take this personal, i am generalising here using the points you raise as references.

I guess its up to you to prove they are not the typical "cram & reproduce" students who simply read to pass exams.

And how if i may ask did 2'2 and 3rd class students obtain their degrees? Did they not "cram and pour" or simply read to pass exams except they neither read enough nor bothered to go the extra mile?

They should be smart enough in our real world to get any job they please with their status as first class graduates. They shouldn't wait to be called for any interviews but walk in proudly to any organisation and ask to be interviewed for a position they know they are fit for. That's what being "first class" is all about. Unless they are afraid to defend their degree when it comes to the basics

We as Nigerians know your suggestion is completely impossible. If ALL 1st class students could just walk into any organisation and obtain jobs since that's what being first class is all about then you bet not one of them would be jobless today. Where are the companies they are walking into? Where are the jb opportunities in the few companies that exist? Being smart intellectually does not translate into being able to GET ANY JOB THEY PLEASE in real world Nigeria!The jobs just aren't there! They don't need to prove their degrees, those in authority know the limitations of every student vis a vis our bastardized education system!

There is more victimisation by male lecturers to female students than you know and thankfully the more we begin to share our experiences and speak against it, the better we are at creating an awareness which is a step to putting an end to it.

Very true, there is more victimisation by male lecturers to female students and that is due to our hopeless education system. But truth be told, the percentage of those who truly are victims of such pale in comparison to the vast majority. In my entire 5 yrs on campus i only came across less than 5 cases and in the most serious of them all the lecturer in question was sacked. What about the other over 99% of female students? On what grounds should they score a 3rd class and then hide under the pretext of victimisation?
True victimisation exists but let us not fall into the trap of over using the misfortunes of a tiny minority as a cloak for our own inefficiency and laziness! Work hard! If you fall victim of 1 or 2 lecturers report them and that is no excuse for you to fail every single course you took including those taught by female lecturers!

Nothing personal man. You made your point and I made mine too. Everyone not in paid employ, regardless of what class of degree they have as a graduate has an obligation to himself/herself to use their personal skills developed to do something sustainable. Not hoping for someone to employ them. I have had several job offers too and I wonder why first class graduates are having these problems. They can't be more than a 1000 produced every year yet we see these adverts searching, they must be looking for gold. I walked into a company and got a job - yeah! My last job when i was in naija. Maybe it was my confidence! Thinking about it, my department had just a female lecturer who was a serving corper, we never got to see our result score sheet untill the second semester of our final year (At the beginning of every semester, all they do is put out a sheet with a "P" or "F" indicating if you passed or failed a course so knowing if you were given an A or D grade was out). Really wacko and I'm not blaming anyone! Speaking from my personal experience.

@Jayk

Which school did you attend? We had comprehensive score sheets every end of semester that had your grade, percentage score and GPA. The score sheets were released class by class so you saw how you did and could compare with your mates. it really helped as we were able to project what our GPA's would be like if we worked at some specific subjects each begining of semester.

davidylan: what school did you attend that provided all that and when?

The great University of Agriculture, Abeokuta!

Ladies and gentlemen. I have been away from Nigeria for quite some time about 7years now (I live in Canada). I would just like some one to clearly explain to me what grade points or letter grade categories that 1st class, 2.1, and 2.2 belong to. I will be graduating soon with a B.Comm (Honours) and want to know where I stand in the Nigerian market

yes oo, i want to know the same question like GARUBA cuz i will be graduating next year 4rom a Canadian uni. as well

I will be graduating soon with a B.Comm (Honours) and want to know where I stand in the Nigerian market

its da same everywhere as in you can get 1st class, 2.1 (called second upper class) 2.2 (second lower class)
B.comm 1st
B.Comm 2.1
B.comm 2.2

i think

Nigeria operates a 5.00 GPA scale, this differs as some Unis operate a 6.00 GPA scale.

5.00 - 4.50 - 1st class
4.49 - 3.50 - 2'1
3.49 - 2.50 - 2'2
2.49 - 1.50 - 3rd class
Below 1.49 - Pass.
Anything below 1.00 - Probation/Extra yr/Finished did not Graduate (FNG)
Anything below 1.00 for 2 yrs running - Termination of studentship

All the above for my dear University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

Hello everyone, I feel it as to do with the Nigerian system. Because there are several unemployed graduate out there, organisation or cooperation tend to reduce the number of applicants by stating grade that should apply. Well, God dey, if you are a second class lower graduate like i am please don't mind starting your career with a lower earning job. Get the skills and go professional, e go better. That is my humble option.

Well after having gone through d advert placed by NNPC and CHEVRON i actually feel that it's high time we speak our minds. NNPC or CHEVRON are the first to require a 2'1 as their minimum grade and certainly will not be the last.

I have a 2'2 which i worked hard to get and i am really proud of myself. But the truth is that when will Nigerians learn not to judge the ability of a person to work by his /her qualification. We all know that d system of education in Nig. today is corrupt b'cos more than 50% of graduates with good results today actually didn't work for it.

If u are not the type that loves to read or study den u are involved in either sleeping with lecturers for marks, buying lecturers marks with money, a cult member so as to threaten lecturers or even involved in cheating during exams. If 2'2 will not be accepted as a criteria for getting a gud job then what are those with 3rd class expected to do.

The most painful thing is that most of those in the management which are involved in setting down these rules did not even have a first degree not to talk of a 2'1. Majority of them got their 1st degree when they needed to attain a particular post and that will be years after they have been employed. Tell me, how do u expect a married man/woman of over 45 yrs with a lot of responsibilities to come out with a 2'2 not to talk of a 2'1 and yet they still sit down in their various offices and make such disheartening rules forgetting how they themselves started.

Our Govt. of today say they are trying to reduce the rate of armedrobbers in the country, how is that expected to happen when graduates with their hard earned certificates are denied the chance to work simply b'cos the did not have a 1st class or 2'1.

As a graduate of Chemistry, i know what it means to graduate with a 2'2 and i know that my fellow chemist in the house will actually know what i am talking about.

My advice to everyone with a 2'2 is dt they should not be discouraged. Instead, they should apply weather they have a 2'1 or not. The truth is that u might be lucky even with your 2'2 b'cos if God says u will work there who can say no? So go ahead and apply as i have done.

Finally, i would have loved to personally know the management involved in stating criterias for recruitment in various organisation so as to advice them to let their children study Chemistry in A.B.U or any University and see if they can boast of a 3rd class without even having 2 extra years.

My people, what i meant with my question about the letter grade classification is this:
In Canada these are way grades are given at least in my university:

A+=90% and above, A=85-89, A-=80-84, B+=75-79%, B=70-74, C+=65-69, C=60-64,

Which of these grade categories belongs to 1st class, 2.1, and 2.2??!!!