This throws
in my mind the relevance of doing such. The challenge holders of Higher
National Diplomas have in Nigeria is the
fact that the certificate is not as respected as a University degree. It has created a situation where, for
instance, you don’t get promoted to anything higher than Grade Level 14 in the
Civil Service. Even in other organizations like the oil industry, holders of
HND certificates have had to undergo degree programs while working. The aim is
to get upgraded to enjoy what their university counterparts enjoy.
The question is: will changing the name of
the certificate change the way the certificate is perceived in
Nigeria? Looking at the situation
rationally, one will understand that this wouldn’t change the discrimination
holders of the HND certificate face, as long as it is issued by the same
polytechnics and entry requirements remain the same. What about people who go to the polytechnic to study Social Work, Business Administration or Public Administration, for instance? Would their certificate also read, "Bachelor of Technology?
Most holders
of the certificate argue that they
should be accorded the same treatment because, in their view,
there is nothing university graduates have that they don’t have. A university graduate, who
prefers not to be named, is of
the opinion that changing the name
makes no difference and that they will continue to face the same obstacles they
have faced regardless of what they are called.
When students write the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Exams, JAME,
candidates with the highest scores end up in universities, while the
polytechnics are left accepting candidates who scored comparatively lower
marks. Of that, the
polytechnics have accepted to deal
with candidates that failed to
compete well.
Another university graduate, who believes
he is better than a poly graduate argues that if you know that going to a
university will end up with you having a professional ceiling, above which you
cannot rise, you have an option to go to a university. If, however, you choose to go to a polytechnic, you are
doing so because you have failed to meet the requirements for university
admission. The best for you is to
admit you went to a polytechnic because you failed to meet the university
requirement and maintain a humble posture. You will be respected more than someone who insists he is better
despite knowing the modest score that left him with the option of going to a
polytechnic.
However, one doesn’t conclude that another
person knows little because he failed to go
to a university. There is a myriad of situations that end up with many going to polytechnics even when
they were hardworking enough to find university entry requirements. Some decide to go to polytechnics even when
they have entry requirements for university admissions for reasons they alone
can explain. On the reverse side, there are university graduates who fail to perform well in their professions as compared
to some polytechnic graduates.
The institutions that award degrees must
not be universities. They can be any institution, but the entry requirement is
what matters. Unfortunately, we have seen institutions working to be upgraded to be referred to
as universities. In the last decades, many institutions have had their statuses changed to universities in broad daylight.
The bottom line is that our polytechnics must be allowed to bestow to their students the HND certificate so that the decision to go to a university or polytechnic is left in the hands of the candidate. If you know the limitations of a HND certificate, then it is left for you to work hard to avoid ending up in a polytechnic.
