Fresh Update Emerges on Longstanding HND/BSc Dichotomy Case
A fresh development has emerged regarding the long-standing HND/BSc dichotomy, as the Nigerian Senate on Thursday passed a major amendment to the Federal Polytechnic Act, officially empowering federal polytechnics across the country to award Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech. Hons.) degrees.
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The legislative breakthrough aims to permanently resolve the decades-long conflict between the Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor of Science (BSc), which has historically subjected polytechnic graduates to career stagnation and structural discrimination in both the public and private sectors.
Under the newly amended framework, federal polytechnics are now legally authorized to offer degree programmes to students holding National Diplomas (ND), HNDs, and Postgraduate Diplomas (PGD), with a primary focus on science, technology, and engineering disciplines.
To maintain strict academic standards, the Senate introduced a hybrid regulatory structure where the National Universities Commission (NUC) will oversee and accredit the new bachelor’s degree components, while the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) continues to regulate the diploma tracks.
Additionally, the legislation elevates the institutional requirements for polytechnic leadership, mandating that any candidate seeking appointment as a Rector must possess a minimum qualification of a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree.
Despite the successful voice vote in the upper legislative chamber, the amendment must undergo harmonization with the House of Representatives before being transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for executive assent.
Consequently, individual institutions cannot automatically transition to awarding degrees until the bill is signed into law and formal programmatic accreditation is secured from the NUC.
