Chairman, House Committee on Polytechnic and Technical Education, Fuad Laguda representing Surulere Constituency 1 has introduced a Bill seeking to “break and criminalize the dichotomy and discrimination of holders of the Higher National Diploma (HND).”
The Higher National Diploma Discrimination (Prohibition) Bill, 2024 which has now passed the first reading, is the second Bill sponsored by Honourable Fuad Laguda since elected into the Green Chamber, 100 days ago.
According tom the Lagos Rep, “With the passage of the bill into law, it will break and criminalize the dichotomy and discrimination of holders of the Higher National Diploma (HND).”
Vanguard reported how students of polytechnics in Nigeria stormed Osogbo, Osun State capital, last month, protesting against continuous disparity between the Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor’s degree (BSc).
“We are here today to send a signal to our father, President Tinubu, to put in the presidential signature to this bill and end the HND/BSc dichotomy before May 29, 2024.
“We observed that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been assenting to many bills, but the HND/BSC dichotomy act hasn’t been attended to.
“Polytechnic students and graduates are one of the major groups that support this government; we shouldn’t be treated like an outcast in our nation; this HND/B.Sc. dichotomy has rendered many Polytechnic graduates as second-class citizens, causing a lot of discouragement to the upcoming generation who has the intention to attend Polytechnic in Nigeria.”
