WHY I WENT BACK FOR A BACHELORS AFTER MASTERS

As the interview came to an end and the Professors and other Academia on the panel concluded their reviews, one of them decided to speak out.

Prof - You are such an intelligent young man with a fine Engineering mind and experience but we cannot hire you. You don't have the requisite qualification to be a lecturer. You can only come in as a technologist.

Me - (With a worried voice) But why sir.

Another Prof - All the credentials you have here are DIPLOMAs except the M.Eng.

1st Prof - Only first degree holders can lecture in the university.

I looked at the documents I had with me again and for the first time, it dawned on me that I was going about with diplomas;

- OND - Ordinary National Diploma
- HND - Higher National Diploma
- PGD - Post Graduate Diploma

The only A4 paper with a degree was the Masters of Engineering Degree.

Nigeria happened to me.

HND+PGD+MEng is a 'wuruwuru' path, it does not equate the Bachelors degree.

You don't understand right? Listen;

I graduated with distinction in my class and amongst the high flyers of class 2011 of the School of Engineering Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana. I had my plans settled and my career path chosen. I wanted to be a lecturer and nothing more. I asked the questions there was to ask and consulted lecturers in the school who kept assuring me that HND+PGD = BSc. Armed with these assurances, I got into a Post Graduate Diploma programme of FUTA almost immediately after my NYSC, graduated with distinction and headed for Masters straight up.

After the Masters, I applied for a Assistant Lecturer position at the newly established Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE). I was optimistic no candidate can best my grades, abilities and years of experience. 6years of teaching in the secondary level, 3years of Lecturing at the polytechnic as Lecturer III, 12 publications in peer-review Journals, 6 Textbooks of Engineering. 'My CV just full anyhow'.

Alas! I was wrong. HND plus a PGD is all Diploma. I cannot be employed to teach in the University even though I am the best of candidates they had interviewed

To overcome this sort of insult to my intellectual abilities, I return to the south to do a HND-to-B.Eng top-up programme.

My dear friend with HND, please learn from my story. HND cannot be equal to B.Sc, B.A or B.Eng in this country oh. In the Civil Service, there is a limit to your promotion with a HND certificate. This is the sad reality, let no man beguile you.

PS: I have had to repeat this post because of the many enquiries on my DM from HND holders.

dichotomy

Nigerians and meaningless show of classism

Where's the work

Lecturing no be everyone's calling.

@OP, I totally disagree with those professors.

Now what is a degree? A degree is a title conferred on students by a college, university, or professional school on completion of a program of study.

Another interesting question, are Polytechnics professional schools? Yes Polytechnics are professional schools.

Another interesting question, after the completion of HND, have one completed a program of study from a professional school?
The answer is simply YES.

So despite called Higher National Diploma, it's still a degree but those professors intentionally want to ignore the fact.

Gracias🍹