In a bid to completely meet up with the key demands of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, the Federal Government has inaugurated a committee to bridge the dichotomy between holders of the Higher National Diploma, HND and First degree. Nyesom Wike, the supervising minister of education, inaugurated the committee on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan to appease members of ASUP who are currently on strike.
The Committee, which was tagged, “The Technical Review Committee on the contents and curriculum of HND,” is saddled with the responsibility of reviewing the curriculum for HND graduates; designing a programme to enable the Polytechnics award B-Tech degree which is equivalent to a degree; and introduce a bridging course that will pave way for the recognition of HND to reach the Highest Grade Level in the public service.
The inter-ministerial committee, which is headed by MacJohn Nwaobiala, the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, has its members drawn from the Ministry of Labour, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, National Board for Technical Education and the National Universities Commission, NUC.
Members are also drawn from the National Commission for Colleges of Education, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association and the President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics. Wike admonished members of the committee to work hard within the three weeks stipulated for the submission of their report and to resolve the challenge posed by the dichotomy within the period. Speaking on behalf of the members, Nwaobiala assured the Education Minister that the review will be completed promptly.
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