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NBTE Unveils Online Top-up Programmes For HND Holders


The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has unveiled an online top-up programme for Higher National Diploma (HND) holders.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja, the NBTE Head of Media Unit, Mrs Fatima Abubakar, hinted that the course would also facilitate the progression of HND holders to higher degrees.

She said that the portal was designed for HND holders willing to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree with foreign accredited universities through online top-up course for one year.

Abubakar lamented that attempts in the past to get the National Universities Commission (NUC) to approve a two-year Master of Technology for HND holders in some polytechnics failed. 

”Many times, HND Holders are forced to go for a one year Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) before they could be admitted into the Master’s Program in Universities.

”The disadvantage of the PGD is that holders who continue to do Ph.D. and wish to migrate to a Nigerian University will always be queried to produce their first degree even when they have doctorates,” she added. 

To end the unwarranted prejudice, NBTE created the progression pathway for HND holders, which can be accessed at https://topup.nbte.gov.ng. 

This is even as the NBTE also established a portal to ease mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, given the difficulties encountered by HND graduates. 

She frowned that many HND graduates were admitted into non-accredited programmes and after their HND, they would not be mobilised for the NYSC.

”NBTE has now created a HND admission portal for use by all polytechnics. Only accredited programmes shall be visible on the portal and NYSC shall have viewing rights to know admitted candidates to be mobilised.

”This will hopefully bring an end to illegal HND admissions of unaccredited programmes and at the same time, ensure carrying capacities are adhered to for quality assurance, " she said. 
The board appealed to President Bola Tinubu to sign the bill removing the HND-BSc Dichotomy in the public service as passed by the last National Assembly.

This, she believed would end the unjust and undeserved discrimination against graduates of the polytechnic system. 

She said that the absence of legal backing necessitated the board to find ways of enhancing the standard of HND holders.

Abubakar noted that it was necessary to upgrade the capacity of HND holders as they hold the key to Nigeria’s industrialisation and other skills needed for infrastructure delivery in the country.

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