Why Nigerian universities dey offer conversion programme for HND graduates

Some universities for Nigeria dey offer top-up programme for Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates wey wan convert dia certificate to bachelor degree.

For recent times, HND graduates don dey clamour for equal opportunities wit dia BSc counterparts for di labour market, but di discrimination against dem still dey dia.

Dis discrimination dey for private and goment organisations. And e involve di kind position wey HND and BSc holders fit hold and also di salary wey holders of dis certificates fit earn.

For some organisations, BSc graduates dey earn more money dan HND graduates for di same position.

HND graduates wey wan further further dia education for Nigeria no fit do master's programme witout Post Graduate Diploma (PGD).

Di discrimination wey HND graduates dey face na di reason why some Nigerian universities dey offer conversion programmes.

Dis conversion dey usually last for either one or two years, depending on di universities and dia arrangements.

Also in line wit wetin some Nigerian universities don already dey do, on Monday, 14 August, di National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) bin unveil one online to-up programme for Higher National Diploma holders to convert dia certificate through online top-up wey go last for one year.

For one statement by di board head of media, Fatima Abubakar, di top-up programme na wit foreign accredited universities.

Abubakar tok say attempts in di past to get di National Universities Commission (NUC) to approve two years Master of Technology for HND holders for Polytechnics no work out.

She also note say HND Holders dey forced to go for one year PGD before dem fit dey admitted to do dia master's programme for universities.

“Di disadvantage of di PGD na say holders wey continue to do Ph.D. and wish to migrate to Nigerian University go always dey requested to provide dia first degree, even wen dem get Doctorates.

“To end dis unwarranted prejudice, NBTE don create dis progression pathway for HND holders," di statement add.

But despite say HND graduates need to do PGD bifo dem go fit do master's programme for Nigeria, some universities for UK, di United States and oda foreign kontris dey accept dis certificate for master's degree.

Many HND graduates don share tori of how dem bag scholarship abroad wit dia certificates despite say for dia own kontri discrimination against dem no be like sometin wey go go away anytime soon.

Why di discrimination for labour Nigeria market?

One Human Resources expert Francis Uka wey follow BBC Pidgin shook mouth on di mata.

Uka tok say di main tin wey dey make Nigerian employers discriminate against HND holders na just mindset.

"Di main tin wey dey influence dis mindset na goment. Polytechnics and Monotechnics dey more poorly funded if we compare am to university.

Goment dey give universities more moni dan polytechnics, dem dey pay university lecturers more, universities get more infrastructure pass polytechnics. So dat one alone don downgrade polytechnics," Oga Uka explain.

Anoda tin wey Oga Uka tok say dey make employers dey favour BSc holders pass HND holders na di low morale and low productivity wey HND graduates dey get sake of say di discrimination wey dem dey face dey affect dia mental health.

"Many HND graduates, wen dem get job, you go see say no be di same tin dem go pay dem if to say na BSc dem get. So dat tin dey affect self-esteem. E go come dey affect how dem dey perform for work," im add.

Oga Uka wey also be HND holder imsef don see shege for employers hand and admission requirements to further im education for university.

One organisation for Enugu State bin wan give am work for 2018 but wen dem find out say na HND pali im get, dem no gree work wit am again upon say im insist say im get di skills for di job.