Jonathan Set Up Committee To Solve HND/BSc Dichotomy

If information emanating from the Presidency is to be believed, then the age long issue of dichotomy between Higher National Diploma, HND, and Degree holders will soon be over.

According to the supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a committee, headed by the

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Pius Anyim, to address the challenge.

The minister made this statement on Thursday while he was addressing chairmen of Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics and Federal Colleges of Education in Kaduna.

It was also learnt that the SGF and members of the committee met with Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, last week to resolve the dichotomy.

It is not uncommon for HND holders to be discriminated against not just by private employers but also by various level of the Nigerian government.

When they are employed into government ministries, fresh HND holders are recruited to Level 7 while fresh BSc holders are recruited to Level 8.

One of the cardinal demands of the striking polytechnic lecturers is the removal of the dichotomy between the two categories of graduates.

The Minister also claimed that other demands have also been resolved and called on the chairmen of the Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics and Federal Colleges of Education to assist the federal government by deploying their relevant skills towards resolving the lingering strike action of the lecturers.