By; MOHAMMED ADAMU ABUBAKAR
There is nothing good for Nigerian education in the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)’s Higher National Diploma (HND) conversion to degree programme.
With the current unemployment figures in Nigeria, if all polytechnic graduates convert their HND to degree, then where is the hope of NBTE in promoting skills?
It doesn’t sound well for NBTE to be a pioneer of degree programme as a board established to promote polytechnic programmes. This shows a failed mission of NBTE upon its responsibilities.
For many years, the present Executive Secretary of NBTE was calling for creation of more polytechnic than universities in the country, but the present initiative of HND conversion to degree has derailed the NBTE’s focus.
Polytechnic are known for skills production, polytechnic produce entrepreneurs and apprentice, ready for jobs. Also, polytechnic produce technologists to handle practical teachings.
Then what does it means when all technologists chose to convert their certificates to degree? The idea of NBTE needs a second look.
While the programme will benefit an international school as an affiliated programme, it simply means a call from NBTE to government to convert all polytechnic to universities. To make it clear, polytechnic and universities are not the same.
The two schools have different purposes of establishment, just like parents and students have the right to choose from any of the two.
To save polytechnic from collapse, students unions and academic unions of polytechnic notify NBTE the danger upon it’s interest. HND conversion to degree shows more weaker effect of HND and could lead to the falling of polytechnic in Nigeria, with NBTE being a promoter of degree programmes rather than its product.
Conversion of HND for degree will significantly cause set back for polytechnic from the side of government and students. Also, where will the fate of Sub-Saharan African Apprenticeship and Stakeholders Network (SASASNET) lie if polytechnic graduates are motivated to convert their HND just for opportunities?
Just like colleges of education, polytechnic are different from universities and NBTE should be different from NUC because some years back, NBTE promised to employ HND graduates as lecturers, if done, polytechnic will only heads to stones.
The blueprint of polytechnic will be disorganized because university graduates lack the needed skills to handle practicals in the polytechnic, while skill is very important than anything in polytechnic, it is a misplaced priority for the university graduates to handle the skill aspect.
However, the Executive Secretary of NBTE has brought many good programmes for Nigeria’s progress, but the HND conversion programme to degree could never be good for Nigerian polytechnic, government and the staff of polytechnic, and it is not too late for polytechnic unions and government to intervene and save them from falling.
To many people, polytechnic has been in existence for long, producing academic sound individuals who are contributing greatly and are doing well in their chosen careers.
NBTE should focus on producing skilled technologists manpower that can compete globally.
The very essence of polytechnic education sector must not be forgotten by NBTE, hence, Professor Idris Bugaje knows it too well that, if Nigeria is truly in a hurry for industrial revolution, then polytechnic education must be given the needed attention.
China gives more attention to technical education than theory upon theories. In 2019, amidst COVID-19, Chinese government converted so many universities.
The future of the world is hands -on job, what can you do with your hands, and this is where polytechnic graduates come to mind due to their practical oriented programmes.
To so many people, this move by NBTE for the HND conversion to BSC is complete aberration of the very essence of polytechnic education.
Mohammed Adamu Abubakar sent in this piece from F C T Abuja
