Educational Issues
Continue With The Top Up Degree Programme Introduced By NBTE -By Hassan Aliyu
In Nigeria, a lot of HND holders are frustrated as a result of stagnation in the workplace. I believe that these Institutions produced by the Board for the top up programmes are highly recognized, to gain admission in to these Institutions for the top up Degree programme, it’s assumed that students must have completed HND Programme in any of the Institution under Board’s purview.
Accept it or not, education plays a vital role in determining the future of an individual. It’s passport to the future, not only does it impact academic knowledge, but also helps us develop skills and learn life lessons, by boosting your self confidence and adds value to you as a person..
Top up degree can be completed in 1 year depending on the starting point, whether you are studying on full or part-time. Initial credit load earned are usually mapped. It’s a way to gain full degree by combining previous certificates with a year study.
As the name suggests, students who take these courses are topping up their qualifications with extra study of one year. Typically, students start a top up course after completing qualifications, such as HND/HNC/BTEC.
In Nigeria, Polytechnics/Monotechnics are recognized to award ND/HND Programmes, it’s disheartening after obtaining HND, you are still not given the same recognition as your University counterparts, HND holders are sidelined by the Labour market for university graduates, as a result of this segregation, NBTE came up with Top Up Degree programme that will allow HND holders to combine previous certificates with a year full time study.
The top up will recognize and build on previous studies, awards full Degree of Bachelor certificate for one year study and will give HND holders, access to postgraduate programmes and positively impact career progression.
In Nigeria, a lot of HND holders are frustrated as a result of stagnation in the workplace. I believe that these Institutions produced by the Board for the top up programmes are highly recognized, to gain admission in to these Institutions for the top up Degree programme, it’s assumed that students must have completed HND Programme in any of the Institution under Board’s purview. It’s therefore necessary to draw the attention of the Board to the following issues that may likely arise:-
- Holders of HND+ Post HND
- Holders of HND + Postgraduate Diploma
- Holders of HND + work experience.
As we are all aware that a lot of HND holders stagnated in their workplace because of HND certificates and may see this top up as an avenue for them to progress and some of them have acquired postgraduate diploma/post HND, now the issue is regarding their admission for the top up degree programme, the Board may wish to intermediate with the Institutions to ensure:-
- Post HND possessed by HND holders are mapped up for admission.
- Postgraduate Diploma possessed by HND holders are mapped up for admission.
- Work experience earned by HND holders are considered for admission (Accreditation of Prior Learning).
These Institutions for the top up may likely produce that students must obtain minimum Graduation Load of 170 Credit Unit before obtaining top up Degree of Bachelor.
We want to call the attention of the Board to kindly upgrade the current Board Grading System to the International Standards. For instance, our grading system reflects:-
75 and above A
70-74 AB
65-69 B
60-64 BC
55-59 C
50-54 CD
45-49 D
40-44 E
39 and below F
In the current International Standards Grade:-
80-100 A
75-79.9 B
50-64.9 C
With the coming of top up, there’s need to upgrade our grading system, since the top up programme is based on mapping of Credit Units already obtained. The interpretation of the above grading systems speaks about the mapping procedure to be done for the top up admission.
This top up programme introduced by NBTE will be a leeway advantage to the HND holders by combining practical and theory in their workplace and can lead to producing more best brains in the Nigerian education sector.
Nigerians shall embrace the top up programme, it shall also serve as a challenge to some of the Nigerian Universities for not introducing the Programme in to our university system, few of the Nigerian Universities are offering the top up programme. The 1 year top up programme are offered in most of the internationally recognized universities, I call on the Nigerian Universities to adopt the 1 year top up Degree Programme. It is long overdue for the Nigerian Universities to adopt it. Nigerian Universities can also introduce 1 year top up programme for HND holders, Degree of Bachelor (Third Class) and in the Degree of Master which will enable holders of Degree of Master to update their Degree of Master obtained in the last 6 years and above. It’s believe that the shelf life of Degree is 5 years.
Hassan Aliyu.
