Kaduna Polytechnic Alumni Association has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sign the bill aimed at eliminating the disparity between HND and BSc holders in Nigeria.
Recall that the HND/BSc dichotomy issue has lingered for long, underscoring the urgency for the president to approve the bill, as it has successfully passed through all stages in the National Assembly.
During a meeting with the newly elected executive of the Kaduna branch of the alumni, the national president, Hon Abba Anas Adamu, noted that, previous attempts were made to engage the former minister of education, Adamu Adamu on the matter, saying that, “he had pledged assistance but unfortunately failed to follow through.”
He said that given the new government in power, they remain hopeful that prompt action will be taken.
He said the association anticipates that President Tinubu will endorse the Bill to eliminate HND/BSc dichotomy.
The national president emphasized that the primary concern of the alumni association is not the conversion of Kaduna Polytechnic to a university, but rather the government’s permission for the institution to offer degree programmes alongside the existing HND and National Diploma programmes.
He noted that Kaduna Polytechnic was already affiliated with reputable universities in the country, which qualifies them to offer degree programmes, but it should be allowed to offer degree programmes independent of any affiliation.
Before the passage of the Bill by the 9th Assembly, the issue of eliminating the HND and BSc disparity sparked protests among affected individuals. Despite issuing circulars on the matter, the government is yet to take tangible measures to address the situation.
The national president called upon all graduates of the institution to rally behind the polytechnic, emphasizing that the institution requires their attention and support.
The state chairman of the alumni, Dr Ladi Mu’azu, expressed the association’s desire to collaborate with the management of the polytechnic to propel it to greater heights.