The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the bill to abolish BSC/HND dichotomy before he leaves office next Monday.
ASUP National President, Comrade Anderson Ezeibe, who made the call in an interview with Vanguard in Abuja on Sunday, said the dichotomy had made young Nigerians not to be interested in polytechnic education in the country.
He said it would be a memorable legacy if President Buhari assents to the dichotomy bill before he exited office.
He said: “We are urging President Buhari to go ahead and sign that bill into law. That is another way of saving this sector. As we speak, the Roman figures are dropping significantly so because the sector is losing its attraction to young people
“So we expect him to sign this bill. Other stakeholders in the sector have also been calling for him to do so. It will be an enduring legacy if Mr President succeeds in doing this before he leaves office”.
He contended that stakeholders in the polytechnic education sector had urged the ninth National Assembly to pass the “Bill for an Act to Abolish and Prohibit Dichotomy and Discrimination between First Degree and Higher National Diploma”.
The National Assembly in 2021 passed the “Bill for an Act to Abolish and Prohibit Dichotomy and Discrimination between First Degree and Higher National Diploma in the Same Profession/Field for the Purpose of Employment; and for Related Matters,” and has presented it to President Buhari for assent before it can become a law.
The bill is seeking to legislate the discrimination of polytechnic graduates from their university counterparts in employment and promotion in the workplace.
The bill also seeks to end the discrimination that stakeholders in the polytechnics have, which for long they sought an end to. The piece of legislation, sponsored by Senator Ayo Akinyelure, passed the third reading on the floor of the Senate at plenary.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Senator Ahmad Kaita presented his report and all the amended six clauses were approved by the Senate.
Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau said: “The enactment of the bill to abolish and prohibit discrimination between First Degrees and Higher National Diploma for the purpose of employment in Nigeria will no doubt freeholders of HND from stagnation and ensure balanced treatment with their counterparts from other higher tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Unlike graduates of universities, HND holders cannot rise to Grade Level GL 17 in the civil service.
