Over the years many have pleaded with the Federal Government to put an end to the discrimination of polytechnic graduates in both public and private sectors. It has been described as unfair. This has forced many polytechnic graduates to create jobs for themselves, since they are being rejected by the labor market. It is also unfortunate that university graduates are paid higher salaries above their polytechnic counterparts.


While in office as President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on January 5, 2006, at a meeting with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the then Minister of Education, Mrs. Chinwe Obaji, approved a policy, which reversed the discriminatory policy restricting holders of the Higher National Diploma (HND) from rising above Level 14 in the civil service, things are still not better in 2013.

The partiality is extended to the Master’s degree level where HND holders have to go for a PGD before proceeding for a Masters Degree programme. This incited the negative view most companies had on HND holders.
Reason: the discrimination still persists, and thus, every student wants a university degree and would not even want to consider the HND in place of the BA/BSc.

“Some people prefer universities because their certificates are more acceptable, but I don’t really mind a polytechnic though it’s impossible for me to go to a College of Education because I have no desire to be a teacher.” Thats what most student say.

The challenges in gaining admission into universities over the years thereby worsened this situation, as many students choose to enroll in Private and Government owned polytechnics and college of education.

During the UTME registration a large number of students fill universities as their first choice and second choices, and then add polytechnic and college of education just for the sake completing the registration. For these students, the polytechnics and colleges of education are just a guaranteed plan if the attempts of securing university admissions turn out to be unsuccessful.