The House of Representatives is in the process of drafting legislation aimed at eliminating the discrimination between holders of Higher National Diplomas (HND) and Bachelor’s Degrees (BSc).
Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas made the announcement during the 36th convocation ceremony of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) in Lagos.
Represented by Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda from Lagos, Abbas emphasized the government’s commitment to advancing technical and vocational education, highlighting the need for skilled professionals to drive the nation’s technological progress.
He further confirmed that the bill, which seeks to criminalize the unfair treatment of HND and BSc graduates, is being fast-tracked.
Abbas also expressed the government’s intention to increase funding for the education sector and called on the graduates to leverage their knowledge and skills to positively impact the country.
He said:
“We know the importance of education and what the country would gain by promoting vocational and technical education. The country needs people with the skills needed to take it to a higher level. Those who are going to raise the nation’s profile technologically. In view of that, we are increasing funds to the sector.
“Also, we are taking steps by working on the necessary legal framework to criminalise the dichotomy between HND and BSc certificates. There should be equal opportunity for all,” he said.
