By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja
The Senate yesterday considered a Bill for an Act to abolish and prohibit dichotomy and discrimination between first degrees and the Higher National Diploma in the same profession in Nigeria.
Sponsored by Senator Ayo Akinyelure, representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, the bill seeks to end wage disparity and discrimination against HND holders in both public and private establishments in the country.
Leading debate on the bill, Akinyelure said: “The aftermath of continuing injustices, disparity and discrimination meted on products of polytechnics in Nigeria is threatening to derail the nation’s core policy thrust of evolving a technological and scientifically based self-reliant society in the nearest future.
“As I speak, thousands of would-be polytechnic and technology students are contemplating or have decided to opt for university education, because of perceived and real discrimination against HND graduates.
“Over the years, several entreaties have been put forth to the Federal Civil Service authorities to put a stop to certain glaring wage disparities and discrimination against the HND holders, and all these have been to no avail.”
He condemned the actions of certain federal parastatal whom he accused of discriminating against HND holders, and as well hindering their elevation within the ranks.
“To all intents and purposes, a government employment policy that places degree holders ahead of HND holders without recourse to skill and ability of the HND holder thereof, does more harm than good to the nation’s development.”
Akinyelure, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, argued that indications showed that polytechnic graduates of accountancy, engineering and some other professional disciplines demonstrate proficiency and expertise than university degree holders.
He said attempts made during the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration to bring the HND at par with the degree, by the National Council of Establishment, did not succeed because they discovered that the problem was with curriculum of polytechnic and that of the university, which could not be tampered with.