FG plans national framework to end HND/BSc disparity

To end the disparity between polytechnic and university graduates, the Federal Government will soon introduce a National Vocational Qualification Framework (NVQF).

Dr Margaret Ladipo, the Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), announced the plan at the 30th pre-convocation news briefing on Wednesday in Lagos.

Ladipo said that the framework was still being formulated by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and would be adopted as soon as the paper work was completed.

With the framework in place, she said polytechnic graduates would write an examination which would place them at par with their counterparts in the university.

“The Federal Government is working on the framework, the unions are also working on it and very soon, everything will be okay.

“If you go to developed countries, the framework is the way to end disparity between the HND and B.Sc.

“It is all about competency in education and on the job.

“Once you are skilled, if you have HND, by the time you take the NVQF examination and if you are more skilled than the person with the B.Sc., you are better,’’ she said.

The rector said that without skilled manpower, no country could develop.
According to her, developed countries are also addressing the need to have skilled manpower to drive their industries.

“The disparity will eventually be removed and there will be no problem again.

“For lecturers, they are not happy about the disparity because they are all parents and want the disparity to be removed.

“I want to assure that the only way it can be removed is to embrace skills acquisition.

“YABATECH is a centre for the United Nations Entrepreneur and Vocational Centre (UNEVOC) established to improve the skills of our youths.

“When our graduates pass through the centre, they do not have to look for white collar jobs,’’ Ladipo said.

Speaking on the upgrade of YABATECH to a degree awarding institution, the rector said the process was ongoing.
She added that a committee had visited the college to assess the facilities and staff strength.

The rector said that the college had also improved on its manpower, noting that many of the lecturers were PhD and Master’s Degree holders.