The Alumni Association of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, has called for the urgent abolition of the disparity between Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor’s degree qualifications, describing the policy as a stumbling block to innovation, skills development, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Monday in Ado Ekiti, the association’s Publicity Secretary, Busayo Adeyemi, said the divide had denied thousands of polytechnic graduates equal chances in employment and career advancement.
Adeyemi argued that bridging the gap was critical for national development, stressing that the modern workplace values competence, innovation, and problem-solving above paper qualifications.
“The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, and other polytechnics nationwide should be celebrated, not diminished. Their graduates are innovators, entrepreneurs, and professionals who deserve to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their university counterparts,” he said.
He pointed to the contributions of the institution since its establishment in 1977, noting that its graduates have excelled in engineering, sciences, business, and technology both in Nigeria and abroad, where their qualifications face no such discrimination.
Adeyemi insisted that Nigeria’s refusal to recognise HND holders on equal footing with degree holders was due to “outdated policies and prejudice,” not lack of competence. “It is time to abolish this divide, enforce equity, and let Nigeria’s growth be driven by talent, not labels,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Association of Private Polytechnics in Nigeria has joined alumni groups and staff unions in urging President Bola Tinubu to back a bill that will permanently abolish the HND/degree dichotomy.
The association’s President, Dr. Benjamin Achiatar, explained that although the National Council on Establishment had previously scrapped the divide, enforcement remained weak. He recalled that the ninth Senate passed a bill to address the issue, but it was never signed into law.
“The 10th National Assembly must revisit the earlier bill or sponsor a fresh one and forward it to President Tinubu for assent,” Achiatar said.
