The National Board for Technical Education has unveiled an online top-up programme for Higher National Diploma holders to convert their certification to Bachelor’s Degree through online top-up for one year with foreign accredited universities.
The board disclosed this in a statement made available to reporters in Abuja on Monday by its Head of Media Unit, Mrs Fatima Abubakar.
Abubakar said this was also to facilitate the progression of HND holders to higher degrees.
Her words:
“Attempts in the past to get the National Universities Commission to approve a two-year Master of Technology for HND holders in some polytechnics did not see the light of the day.
“Many times, HND Holders are forced to go for a one-year Postgraduate Diploma before they could be admitted into the Master’s Program in Universities.
” The disadvantage of the PGD is that holders who continue to do PhD and wish to migrate to a Nigerian University will always be queried to produce their first degree, even when they have doctorates.
” To end this unwarranted prejudice, NBTE has now created this progression pathway for HND holders. This can be accessed at https://topup.nbte.gov.ng.”
She further said that the absence of legal backing necessitated the board to find ways to enhance HND holders’ standing.
Abubakar said that this must be done because the HND holders, in reality, hold the key to Nigeria’s industrialisation and critical skills for delivery of needed infrastructure in the country.
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