Federal Govt scraps HNDs, merges polys with varsities
From Madu Onuorah, Abuja[/b]THE Federal
Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved a
comprehensive reform of Nigeria's tertiary
education system, scrapping the award of the
polytechnics.
In effect, the award of the HND will be limited to
only the students currently admitted for the
programmes.
Also, all the programmes currently being run by the
polytechnics, which are not technology-based, and
which are about 70 per cent, will be scrapped.
Under the new rule, the polytechnics will now
become campuses of the proximate universities
with the Vice Chancellors of those universities
appointing provosts for the polytechnics, subject to
the ratification of the Universities Councils.
The polytechnics will now be limited to award of
the National Diploma (ND) while those desirous of
further education will be awarded the Bachelor of
Technology (B. Tech) by the proximate university.
To kick-start the new policy, the nation's two most
prominent polytechnics - Yaba College of
Technology and Kaduna Polytechnic - will
henceforth be known as City University of
Technology, Yaba and City University of
Technology, Kaduna.
And to give legal teeth to these approvals, the FEC
approved the submission of two Executive bills to
the National Assembly for enactment into law.
With education being on the concurrent list, the
states may wish to consolidate their tertiary
institutions. But if they do not wish to follow the
federal example, their programmes will continue to
be regulated by the relevant agencies of the
Federal Ministry of Education.
The first bill will concretise the setting up of the
two city universities while the second will approve
the preparation and consolidation of all federal
polytechnics and colleges of education as
campuses of proximate universities.
The Ministry of Justice will do the preparation and
submission of the two bills to the National
Assembly.
Minister of Education, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili,
told journalists after the weekly meeting of the
council that under the reform measures, her
ministry would, however, continue to licence
private polytechnics and colleges of education for
the award of qualification at ND and National
Certificate in Education (NCE) levels.
She said: "There will be no more award of HND.
After we have exhausted the current students under
the programme, there will be no more award of
HND. This means that there will be no fresh
admission for HND programmes. And in addition,
any programme that is not technical will be out of
the polytechnics. About 70 per cent of polytechnic
graduates are in the non-technical courses. It is
going to be a rigorous implementation programme."
A ministerial committee to ensure the smooth
implementation of all that is required for the take-
off of the reform initiatives is to begin work
immediately.
[b]Ezekwesili said: "The HND certificate will remain
a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such
certificate will continue to be recognised as the
equivalent of first degree holders without
discriminatory remunerations and limit to
progression in the work place. The NCE certificate
will be retained as the minimum teaching
qualification at the basic level of education. Any
higher qualifications by these private or state-
owned polytechnics will be only affiliation with a
university. So, HND is no longer in existence, but
existing HND will be respected and considered
legal tender."
The council also approved the Federal
Government's formal take-over of the Waziri Umaru
Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, which will be the College
of Technology campus of the Othman Dan Fodio
University, Sokoto, as well as the Hussein Adamu
Polytechnic, Kazaure, Bauchi, which will be a
College of Technology of the proximate university in
the state.
Also, the Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri,
Imo State, has been taken over as a campus of the
Federal University of Technology, Owerri. A state
that had never had any federal institution, like
Bayelsa, is to have a College of Technology as a
campus of the College of Technology of the
University of Port Harcourt. Also, Bali, in Taraba
State, is to have a college of technology as a
campus of the proximate university.
The Council also approved a New National Gender
Policy, which is to handle issues of concern to men
and women.
The Council also approved contracts for the
expansion of the air cargo apron of the Murtala
Muhammed Airport, Lagos, at a cost of N822
million, as well as the installation of simulation
training and fire-fighting equipment at the National
College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria.ovt scraps HNDs, merges polys with varsities
From Madu Onuorah, Abuja[/b]THE Federal
Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved a
comprehensive reform of Nigeria's tertiary
education system, scrapping the award of the
Higher National Diploma (HND) by the nation's
polytechnics.
In effect, the award of the HND will be limited to
only the students currently admitted for the
programmes.
Also, all the programmes currently being run by the
polytechnics, which are not technology-based, and
which are about 70 per cent, will be scrapped.
Under the new rule, the polytechnics will now
become campuses of the proximate universities
with the Vice Chancellors of those universities
appointing provosts for the polytechnics, subject to
the ratification of the Universities Councils.
The polytechnics will now be limited to award of
the National Diploma (ND) while those desirous of
further education will be awarded the Bachelor of
Technology (B. Tech) by the proximate university.
To kick-start the new policy, the nation's two most
prominent polytechnics - Yaba College of
Technology and Kaduna Polytechnic - will
henceforth be known as City University of
Technology, Yaba and City University of
Technology, Kaduna.
And to give legal teeth to these approvals, the FEC
approved the submission of two Executive bills to
the National Assembly for enactment into law.
With education being on the concurrent list, the
states may wish to consolidate their tertiary
institutions. But if they do not wish to follow the
federal example, their programmes will continue to
be regulated by the relevant agencies of the
Federal Ministry of Education.
The first bill will concretise the setting up of the
two city universities while the second will approve
the preparation and consolidation of all federal
polytechnics and colleges of education as
campuses of proximate universities.
The Ministry of Justice will do the preparation and
submission of the two bills to the National
Assembly.
Minister of Education, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili,
told journalists after the weekly meeting of the
council that under the reform measures, her
ministry would, however, continue to licence
private polytechnics and colleges of education for
the award of qualification at ND and National
Certificate in Education (NCE) levels.
She said: "There will be no more award of HND.
After we have exhausted the current students under
the programme, there will be no more award of
HND. This means that there will be no fresh
admission for HND programmes. And in addition,
any programme that is not technical will be out of
the polytechnics. About 70 per cent of polytechnic
graduates are in the non-technical courses. It is
going to be a rigorous implementation programme."
A ministerial committee to ensure the smooth
implementation of all that is required for the take-
off of the reform initiatives is to begin work
immediately.
[b]Ezekwesili said: "The HND certificate will remain
a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such
certificate will continue to be recognised as the
equivalent of first degree holders without
discriminatory remunerations and limit to
progression in the work place. The NCE certificate
will be retained as the minimum teaching
qualification at the basic level of education. Any
higher qualifications by these private or state-
owned polytechnics will be only affiliation with a
university. So, HND is no longer in existence, but
existing HND will be respected and considered
legal tender."
The council also approved the Federal
Government's formal take-over of the Waziri Umaru
Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, which will be the College
of Technology campus of the Othman Dan Fodio
University, Sokoto, as well as the Hussein Adamu
Polytechnic, Kazaure, Bauchi, which will be a
College of Technology of the proximate university in
the state.
Also, the Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri,
Imo State, has been taken over as a campus of the
Federal University of Technology, Owerri. A state
that had never had any federal institution, like
Bayelsa, is to have a College of Technology as a
campus of the College of Technology of the
University of Port Harcourt. Also, Bali, in Taraba
State, is to have a college of technology as a
campus of the proximate university.
The Council also approved a New National Gender
Policy, which is to handle issues of concern to men
and women.
The Council also approved contracts for the
expansion of the air cargo apron of the Murtala
Muhammed Airport, Lagos, at a cost of N822
million, as well as the installation of simulation
training and fire-fighting equipment at the National
College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria.
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