Bsc/HND Dichotomy: University Degree Will Lose Relevance In The Next 15 Years – NBTE Sec

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) executive secretary, Idris Bugaje, has asserted that University Degrees will lose relevance in the next 10 to 15 years.

Naijaonpoint reports that Bugaje made this submission while speaking on the claims that there are more people seeking university admission than polytechnics.

Bugaje highlighted a concerning aspect of Nigerian psychology, where there is a prevailing belief that a degree is superior to a diploma or even a higher national diploma.

According to him, the mindset is regrettable. He stressed the need to educate the public to change this perception.

The NBTE official also noted that one of the factors contributing to the low admission rates is that universities account for approximately 70 percent of total admissions, polytechnics represent only about 18 to 20 percent, and colleges of education comprise around 10 to 12 percent of admissions nationwide.

Another significant issue affecting these statistics is the existing divide in public service between degree holders and those with Higher National Diplomas (HND).

He explained that individuals with an HND are currently restricted to a maximum grade level of 14 in public service, whereas degree holders can advance to director positions. This limitation lacks a practical basis, as HND graduates often possess superior hands-on skills that enhance their performance.

“In the next 10 to 15 years, degrees will lose their relevance. Skills qualification is what will give you a job.

“There are so many reasons for that. There is some unfortunate psychology, the Nigerian mentality that a degree is higher than a diploma or even higher national diploma. It’s a very unfortunate psychology, and we need to sensitise people to reverse that.

“Another reason for the low dismal admissions is that universities take about 70 percent of the total admissions. Polytechnics account for just about 18 to 20 percent. Colleges of education take about 10 to 12 percent of the total admissions in the country. Now, the other reason for the dismal statistics is the dichotomy in the public service between degrees and HND.

“At the moment, an HND in public service cannot go beyond grade level 14. A degree holder can become a director, but an HND is limited to grade level 14 for no real practical reason, because when it comes to delivery, the HND will even do better than the degree holder because he has hands-on skills. The industry also prefers HND to a degree holder. So, for that reason, we are now proposing to the government to let us scrap the HND. In all our polytechnics, after the national diploma, let them go and do a bachelor of technology honours. But this will be a degree different from a university degree.

“In the universities, you give degrees based on character and learning. In the polytechnics, we shall give bachelor of technology degrees based on character, learning and skills. The three major components will be there. So, this is the best way to end the dichotomy, and by the time we do this, I’m very sure that we are going to grow the admissions into our polytechnics, and the dichotomy will be over. There will be a progression path for polytechnic graduates. Technical education will still end with ND — national diploma, technician qualification. But those who want to aspire higher can go for the bachelor of technology honours, and after that, they can even go for higher degrees,” Bugaje said in an interview with TheCable.

He added, “So, this is the option we are given. Ghana has implemented that. South Africa has been implementing it dually. The polytechnic where I did my sabbatical about 21 years ago in South Africa, they were offering both HND and bachelor of technology concurrently. So, it’s the choice of the candidate. Industries globally prefer the HND, but more importantly, industries today also recognise more of the skills qualification. The skills that you acquired during your training. That is why we have introduced the mandatory skills qualification in every polytechnic. Every ND, every HND must acquire skills qualification in addition to the HND. But our prayer is that the Polytechnic Act be amended to allow polytechnics to offer a bachelor of technology honours. The College of Education Act has already been amended. Now they are doing NCE and B.Ed honours. So, we want the same thing. We shall be offering ND and B.Tech honours.”

Bsc/HND Dichotomy A Sign Of Underdevelopment In Nigeria

Speaking on the Genesis of dichotomy between HND and Degree in the civil service, Bugaje believed that the reason is simply a sign of underdevelopment.

The NBTE official said, “The answer is simple. That is a sign of underdevelopment being exhibited in Nigeria. That dichotomy itself is a sign of underdevelopment. Countries that have developed don’t look at your papers. The degree will soon be obsolete and of no use. In the next 10 to 15 years, degrees will lose their relevance. Skills qualification is what will give you a job. Even if you get a job, you have to upskill from time to time, improve your skills, and get certifications on those skills. In that way, you can now move forward.

“In Nigeria, it’s very unfortunate. I don’t think it’s even colonial psychology. It’s a psychology of underdevelopment that is haunting us. If you look at the system, the civil service top echelon is dominated by degree holders. Even if you go to the polytechnics now, the lecturers and the heads of departments, 90 percent are from universities. That’s what we are trying to change. In the polytechnics, we are saying, we should allow HND holders to be employed as assistant lecturers. If we want, we can allow the degree holder also to be given assistant lecturer status.

“The polytechnic has its system. Somebody who has done a university degree and has no understanding of the polytechnic system will graduate and become an assistant lecturer, while HND holders will be given the position of a technologist. So, the new scheme of service that we propagated last year, that provision is there. HND holders will be given employment as assistant lecturers, primarily in the polytechnics because it’s their system. They have gone through it. So, they can now go to do their masters, become senior lecturers, do PhD, become chief lecturers, and eventually become rectors.

“We want HND holders to be heads of polytechnics, not university graduates. The civil service is dominated by university graduates, and they are deliberately trying to keep HND holders from progressing. There’s no justification for that dichotomy. And I hope this unwarranted dichotomy will come to an end very soon.”

On whether the National Assembly and the ministry will buy his idea on the lingering problem, Bugaje said: “For the commission, we have, but this one is in the pipeline. I have already written to the honourable minister of education on the amendment of the Polytechnic Act. We have a new minister of education who is very passionate about skills. He is trying to reposition the entire TIVET sector. Not only at the tertiary level but even at the sub-tertiary level. He is bringing NELFUND to support those who go for TIVET training, giving them stipends for certification of the skills training. So, we have an honourable minister who is very passionate about skills, and I am very sure he is going to support this change from a HND to be replaced with a bachelor of technology honours.”

Naijaonpoint understands that Bugaje was appointed as NBTE secretary in 2021.

Under his leadership, NBTE has introduced significant reforms to bridge the skills gap, enhance polytechnic education, and ensure that graduates are equipped with academic qualifications and practical expertise.