HND Holders To Undergo Compulsory One Year Mandatory Training To Equal Degree Certificates

From Abdul SULE (Abuja) 

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, has disclosed that workers with Higher National Diploma must undergo one-year mandatory training before their conversion from executive to officers' cadre.

Speaking at a virtual interactive session with civil servants in commemoration of the 2024 Civil Service Week held at the weekend, Yemi-Esan said the compulsory training programme would bridge the gap between polytechnic and universities grounds.

The week had as its theme, “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Life-long, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa.”

 Yemi-Esan, said the one-year mandatory training programme is to bridge the gap between polytechnic awarded Higher National Diplomas and university degrees has been controversial between the National Universities Commission and the National Board for Technical Education.

According to HoSF, "a bill was passed at the Ninth National Assembly in 2021 to end the dichotomy but was not signed into law by the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

"Thus, NBTE, which regulates technical and vocational education, had to introduce what it describes as a one-year top-up programme which offers a platform for HND holders to level up towards obtaining a bachelor’s degree."

Explaining further, she said: “The curriculum for HND and B.Sc holders were not the same, hence, HND graduates would have to undergo mandatory one-year training before conversion from Executive to Officers’ cadre.

"There is need for education to be accessible, inclusive and of high quality just there is need for it to constantly remain relevant to the rapidly evolving demands of the modern world."