Diploma Run By Universities: Misplaced Priority in Education -By Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim

Many things can go wrong while we see them as right, and the most dangerous of all is when things go wrong in the activities of education.

For truth, when you find any degree program in the Nigerian polytechnics, it is an affiliated program for the benefit of the university system as it is accredited and managed by NUC, this is where things went wrong because universities seized everything even the Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) and Professional Diploma in Education (PDE). What is the essence of colleges of Education and polytechnics in Nigeria?

When I was a student in the university, I wondered why universities offer diploma programs. Though I know, it is another means of Internal Generated Revenue for the schools but the truth about the programs is they are not viable as that in the polytechnics because many working places don’t accept the certificates but polytechnics does.

For a reason NUC denounced the HND top-up program proposed by NBTE when there are some school managed by NUC that do more harm than good to get money. For money, there are many universities in Nigeria that reduced their programs of four years to three years and NUC is alive in Nigeria. Testament Business Academy with the following address: 2, Olorunwa Close, Off Karimu Laka Street, Egbeda, Lagos Nigeria is one of them. With many centres of learning in Nigeria, universities in Nigeria offer certificates in education, diploma programs, professional diplomas in education, National Certificate of Education (NCE) and Professional Diploma in Education (PDE).

Professional programs in the Nigerian universities are money ventures. As a victim, I undergone Diploma in Education for the purpose of becoming a member of the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) but I couldn’t have it from the TRCN for reasons of invalidity, I didn’t relent, I went for Professional Diploma in Education from Al-Nahar Academy, Unguwar Rimi, Kaduna affiliated to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria but the certificate was rejected by the TRCN again for unprofessional reasons. I felt like I was duped while many of such programs are ongoing.

But as Nigerians the government allow it. Until just recently when something happened between National Board for Technical Education, NBTE and Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) happened on top-up degree program. It amazed me much for NUC to even condemn the top-up program which has been a modern educational system in the developed world. NUC has forgotten to talk about the problems and the malady that characterized the formation of degree programs in some Nigerian universities.

Despite the tasks and the longer duration of academic system in the polytechnics NUC had challenged the HND top-up to degree but which is acceptable in the developed nations. Diploma in the polytechnic plus the Industrial Training after the program is three years and HND amount to five years in the universities and such programs in universities are of four years. This is why when HND holders seek admission outside the country they are given direct masters to study.

The Nigerian university system is downplaying the fortune of polytechnic students and does not recognize the Higher National Diploma, universities and some working institutions have no regard for the HND. This is why only Direct Entry of level two is allowed even with HND certificate, but the story is different outside the country.

It seems there is misplacement of priority in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Skill is domicile in the polytechnics while theories at the universities, but these two go in collusion because universities in Nigeria want to take everything even in working places. In the developed world skill is more viable than management. Apprentices earn much than managers. University graduates are made managers and executive officers that breed concept of leadership while polytechnic graduates are the laborers with the concept of doing perfect skill work. This is why at the beginning polytechnics don’t allow HND holders to be head of departments and rectors of polytechnics, also only university graduates are employed as lecturers, but this was before the universities become jack of all trades; a reason that churn out things upside-down.

The Federal Ministry of Education has stopped universities from running diploma programs and yet didn’t heed to that. If things will go right, Nigeria will path the way of greatness by toeing the path of developed nations. This means it is not a fault for universities to run diploma programs but the programs should be solemnly managed by NBTE as degree programs are managed by NUC while HND top-up to degree is lawful and accepted internationally, on this NUC should embrace modernity and stop drawing Nigeria backward when the world is changing in anything. This is how professionalism would be cordoned in Nigeria’s education. Meanwhile, dichotomy between HND and degree should be removed to be on the side of developed nations for Nigeria’s greatness.

Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, Goronyo is a lecturer of Department of Mass Communication, Kaduna Polytechnic and can be reached via auwalahmed@kadunapolytechnic.edu.ng