Senate Passes Bill Abolishing HND/BSc Dichotomy

The Senate has passed a bill seeking to abolish the dichotomy between Higher National Diploma (HND) and bachelor’s degree.

The bill sponsored by Senator Ayo Akinyelure  passed third reading on Wednesday after Chairman of the committee on tertiary institutions, Ahmad Kaita, presented a report and six clauses were voted on by the senators.

While presenting his report, Kaita said the legislation when assented to and passed will give polytechnic graduates confidence and impact the country’s economy positively.

After the clauses of the bill were approved by the legislators in the “committee of the whole”, Senate President Ahmad Lawan said polytechnic graduates will be encouraged by this action.

Senator Ibrahim Shekarau had earlier moved that the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Joint Committee on Establishment and Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND on the Prohibition of Discrimination between First Degrees and Higher National Diplomas Bill, 2021 (SB.297).

The motion was seconded by Senator Sadiq Umar and Senate dissolved into Committee of the Whole to consider the report.

The Senate in the Committee of the Whole and Plenary then considered and approved Clauses 1-6 of the bill.

The House of Representatives passed its own version of the bill in May 2019.