For the sake of impoverished students across the nation, Dr. (Engr.) Taofeek Adekunle Abdul-hameed, Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede Ogbomosho, Oyo State, has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to substitute the Bachelor of Technology, B.Tech, for the Higher National Diploma, HND.
In a live radio interview in Ibadan on Saturday, Abdul-Hameed said that a group of Rectors had decided to balance the disparity by replacing HND with B.Tech. He emphasized that both students and faculty at the Polytechnics are on par with those at universities.
The rector asserted that the development of technical skills and entrepreneurial spirit are more important to a country’s economic growth than academic degrees, citing China and the United Arab Emirates as two developing nations whose economies rely on their citizens’ skills and abilities to survive.
He noted that the Polytechnics emphasize greater entrepreneurship and infuse technical practicals into their undergraduate curriculum. claiming that the lack of white-collar jobs is the reason for teaching students one or two skills so they can work for themselves after graduation.
As to his statement, “We have prioritized employability and entrepreneurship because jobs are hard to come by.” We are unable to award diplomas on A4 paper without a skill, unlike colleges. Many of the graduates of institutions that prioritize entrepreneurship have talents that they rely on instead of seeking out white-collar jobs.
“The only way to close the gap is for the president to sign the bill and end the HND to B.Tech program. Since the previous administration was unable to sign the bill, we hope that President Bola Tinubu does so shortly.
Regarding the granted student loan, Abdul-Hameed praised the federal government for enabling education for underprivileged students who lack the resources to pay for their studies. pointing out that people use education loans and scholarships to get access to school at all levels.
He went on to say that reduced tuition costs and the ability for students to take out interest-free loans are also important.
“Students should be granted skill acquisitions in order to be granted credit from their various institutions and be able to repay the debt after two years or graduation.”
“I would like to think that two years is plenty for students, but even if it isn’t, the government doesn’t make it required. It is possible to extend or renew the loan,” he stated.