Dr. (Engr.) Taofeek Adekunle Abdul-Hameed, Rector of the Federal Polytechnic in Ayede Ogbomosho, Oyo State, has encouraged President Bola Tinubu to replace the current Higher National Diploma (HND) with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) to aid financially disadvantaged students across the country.
During a recent live radio programme in Ibadan, Abdul-Hameed stated that a group of Rectors has jointly advocated for the replacement of HND with B.Tech, with the goal of eliminating the distinction between Polytechnics and Universities.
He stated that both Polytechnic undergraduates and lecturers demonstrate competency equivalent to their peers in universities.
The rector said that technical skills and entrepreneurship are critical for national economic development, citing China and the UAE as examples of strong economies that rely on their citizens’ talents and competencies.
According to Abdul-Hameed, polytechnics emphasise practical technical training and entrepreneurship, preparing students for self-employment in the face of a shortage of white-collar jobs.
He emphasised the need of President Bola Tinubu signing the proposed bill, which would replace HND with B.Tech, in order to avoid continuing the existing imbalance.
Abdul-Hameed voiced hope for a quick approval, citing the previous administration’s failure to act.
Abdul-Hameed praised the Federal Government for adopting student loans, emphasising the need of making education accessible to financially challenged students.
He proposed that affordable tuition fees and interest-free student loans would increase access to education by allowing students to repay loans using gained skills within two years of graduation.
Abdul-Hameed advocated that loans be renewed or extended beyond the original two years, allowing students to meet their repayment commitments.