Goodnews to Poly students, so much relief at the peak of this unrest - an end to HND discrimination . . .

FG scraps HND, converts polytechnics to campuses of universities:

All these name calling and Ishmael this Davidylan that can stop

Checkit: http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2007/mar/15/national-15-03-2007-07.htm

(I hope it's for real o) Last time they said Yabatech can start awarding BScs I ain't heard nada about them!

The full gist from Guardian news papers. The real crux of the matter is in bold midway to the write up.

[b]Govt scraps HNDs, merges polys with varsities
From Madu Onuorah, Abuja[/b]THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved a comprehensive reform of Nigeria's tertiary education system, scrapping the award of the Higher National Diploma (HND) by the nation's polytechnics.

In effect, the award of the HND will be limited to only the students currently admitted for the programmes.

Also, all the programmes currently being run by the polytechnics, which are not technology-based, and which are about 70 per cent, will be scrapped.

Under the new rule, the polytechnics will now become campuses of the proximate universities with the Vice Chancellors of those universities appointing provosts for the polytechnics, subject to the ratification of the Universities Councils.

The polytechnics will now be limited to award of the National Diploma (ND) while those desirous of further education will be awarded the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) by the proximate university.

To kick-start the new policy, the nation's two most prominent polytechnics - Yaba College of Technology and Kaduna Polytechnic - will henceforth be known as City University of Technology, Yaba and City University of Technology, Kaduna.

And to give legal teeth to these approvals, the FEC approved the submission of two Executive bills to the National Assembly for enactment into law.

With education being on the concurrent list, the states may wish to consolidate their tertiary institutions. But if they do not wish to follow the federal example, their programmes will continue to be regulated by the relevant agencies of the Federal Ministry of Education.

The first bill will concretise the setting up of the two city universities while the second will approve the preparation and consolidation of all federal polytechnics and colleges of education as campuses of proximate universities.

The Ministry of Justice will do the preparation and submission of the two bills to the National Assembly.

Minister of Education, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, told journalists after the weekly meeting of the council that under the reform measures, her ministry would, however, continue to licence private polytechnics and colleges of education for the award of qualification at ND and National Certificate in Education (NCE) levels.

She said: "There will be no more award of HND. After we have exhausted the current students under the programme, there will be no more award of HND. This means that there will be no fresh admission for HND programmes. And in addition, any programme that is not technical will be out of the polytechnics. About 70 per cent of polytechnic graduates are in the non-technical courses. It is going to be a rigorous implementation programme."

A ministerial committee to ensure the smooth implementation of all that is required for the take-off of the reform initiatives is to begin work immediately.

Ezekwesili said: "The HND certificate will remain a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such certificate will continue to be recognised as the equivalent of first degree holders without discriminatory remunerations and limit to progression in the work place. The NCE certificate will be retained as the minimum teaching qualification at the basic level of education. Any higher qualifications by these private or state-owned polytechnics will be only affiliation with a university. So, HND is no longer in existence, but existing HND will be respected and considered legal tender."

The council also approved the Federal Government's formal take-over of the Waziri Umaru Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, which will be the College of Technology campus of the Othman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, as well as the Hussein Adamu Polytechnic, Kazaure, Bauchi, which will be a College of Technology of the proximate university in the state.

Also, the Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri, Imo State, has been taken over as a campus of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. A state that had never had any federal institution, like Bayelsa, is to have a College of Technology as a campus of the College of Technology of the University of Port Harcourt. Also, Bali, in Taraba State, is to have a college of technology as a campus of the proximate university.

The Council also approved a New National Gender Policy, which is to handle issues of concern to men and women.

The Council also approved contracts for the expansion of the air cargo apron of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, at a cost of N822 million, as well as the installation of simulation training and fire-fighting equipment at the National College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria.

Good news congratulate us for GOOD fight.

You are free to ask quetions I will answer

Yeah, the real crux of the matter is:

"The HND certificate will remain a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such certificate will continue to be recognised as the equivalent of first degree holders without discriminatory remunerations and limit to progression in the work place. ''

good news. i spent 5 years in the polytechnic, graduated with distinctions but hey, there was the discrimination between being an HND and being a BSc holder, had to go back to the university for an extra two years, ended up spending three years due to Abacha strikes etc. That means i spent 8 years to get a BSC, anyway - beat all the BSC students hands down, made First Class, 4.81/5 CGPA, just to prove a point - HND could be equal, well, today I am happy, being the best in my field you could think of.

me i went for master after PGD. I got 4.54/5 in my masters beating everybody to it.

alabiyemmy,
You now have two first degrees. Good luck.

What of me? no greetings

never worked with any of the two - had been self employed after the Bsc. I beleive the essence of education is to equip you to do what you beleive in, not necessarily to go use it to get a monthly paid job.

its good news. But my question is , will HOLDERS of HND Certificate be allowed to do masters degree without going through PGD??

Mr Alabiyemmy,
Thank God for your life oooo, but why you no go university after your secondary school and after your OND- Just inquisitive

Mr HND-holder, was wondering which university you did your master's, which course you did there and which year was that? Just for the sake of records - not doubting you though,

@PeeDaVinci 
Do you need more

INSTITUTION ATTENDED AND  QUALIFICATIONS WITH DATE
ACADEMIC DEGREES
Limiting only to Nigerian University only leaving research degree out.  

Federal University Of Technology Akure (2001- 2002)   M.Eng. (Crop Processing. Engr).

University of Ibadan (1998 – 2000  ) MMP Master of Managerial Psychology

Federal University of Technology, Akure. ( 1996 – 1998) PGD Agric Engineering.

The Polytechnic Ibadan (1994 – 1996) PGD Public Administration

Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti    (1985 – 1987) HND  Agric Engineering
Now Bachelors (Obasanjo,et.al.,2007)

Federal Polytechnic (Akure) Ado-Ekiti(1982 – 1984) ND Agric Engineering.

Do you still need more
@PeeDaVinci

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION
Member Nigeria Society of Engineers MNSE
Member Nig. Institute of Agricultural Engineers MNIAE
Registered member of COREN Engr
Fellow Nigerian Association of Technologist and Engineers FNATE
Member American Society of Agricultural Engineers

National Deputy President of Nigerian Association of Technologists and Engineers.

i want u to explain more about this cause when i read this on thisday newspaper yesterday and i was like suprise.Am asking this questin coz i finished from lagos poly2005/2006 with a grade of 3.25 and hoping to obtain my HND form.I want to know if we that now ve ND will obtain any form before we can be issued the BTehch cert.

For federal No more HND. if the state like they can continuue with the DEAD HND

It is now we can talk.

University of London's Diploma is a Degree now Nigeria HND is a Degree QED.

yes o, HND certificate is legitimately equivalent to a Degree now. any HND certificate obtained from any polytechnic in nigeria after 2008 is a Dead HND. For those presently having HND certificate, your certificate is equivalent to Bsc and BTech certificates.

"The HND certificate will remain a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such certificate will continue to be recognised as the equivalent of first degree holders without discriminatory remunerations and limit to progression in the work place. ''Ezekwesill et al.,2007

this a very good development to create the imbalance in the system. I will however like if anyone ca clarify if the fed poly ilaro will now be part of UNAAB or is it now fed uni of tech abeokuta. secondly what certificate will be issued to those that have graduated from polytechnincs over ten years ago and have not collected their HND certs since then. will they now be issued BSc or BTech or still the hold HND

It HND but valued as DEGREE.

Ilaro will become a colledge of Technology to the nearest Federal university.

What if a poly is approximately equidistant from two Universities, which of the two will it be affiliated to?

me i went for master after PGD. I got 4.54/5 in my masters beating everybody to it
It is not about WHO you are but WHAT you are.Then as regards the statement,could anybody correct me if i am wrong,do they use GPA at Masters level?
Me thinks you can either graduate with distinction or credit.

correct - no GPA in Masters - its either pass or Distinction.

@HND-holder

Since HND has been given the same status as a university Degree, would people with HND who want to go for Masters go for Masters direct?? Or would they still be asked to do a PGD??

Before now, holders of HND certificates were employed as Instructors while Degree holders were employed as Asst. Lectures to teach in the polytechnics; Would there be a correction (as in HND holders being employed as Asst. Lecturers) to teach in the polytechnics??

Would HND holders (without a PGD or MSc) be employed to teach in the university now??

More importantly, would HND and Bsc, BEng folks be allowed to compete for jobs now in all companies (including banks and oil companies) without fear of any form of discrimination by the HND graduates?

alabiyemmy:

correct - no GPA in Masters - its either pass or Distinction.

Dapo4u:

me i went for master after PGD. I got 4.54/5 in my masters beating everybody to it
It is not about WHO you are but WHAT you are.Then as regards the statement,could anybody correct me if i am wrong,do they use GPA at Masters level?
Me thinks you can either graduate with distinction or credit.

Who are those THOMAS douting my M.Eng Grade. Check with my UNIVERSITY. FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AKURE.

This is what I got in the result notification.
University of Ibadan made use of % for its grading. I am too old to tell lies.

Certificate do not bear this grading.

[Since HND has been given the same status as a university Degree, would people with HND who want to go for Masters go for Masters direct?? Or would they still be asked to do a PGD??

PGD is a bridge programme that allow you to move from one parallel line to another. if you have a degree in Chemistry and you want a  master degree in Chemistry education. you require a PGDE. Let say a degree pass, you need pgd. HND is a professional qualification hence the PGD to convert it to Academics.

Before now, holders of HND certificates were employed as Instructors while Degree holders were employed as Asst. Lectures to teach in the polytechnics; Would there be a correction (as in HND holders being employed as Asst. Lecturers) to teach in the polytechnics??

This would be the case with understanding

Would HND holders (without a PGD or MSc) be employed to teach in the university now??

No