Not every HND holder can have top-up programme – NBTE

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has clarified that their new online top-up program isn’t intended for all Higher National Diploma (HND) holders. According to NBTE, this one-year top-up program to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree from foreign accredited universities is designed specifically for HND holders who aspire to pursue an academic career.

Haliya Fatima Abubakar, the NBTE Head of Media Unit, provided this clarification in a statement released in Abuja. NBTE Chief Executive, Prof. Idris Bugaje, explained that the program is not for all HND holders but rather for those with ambitions in academic environments like teaching and research in Polytechnics or Universities. This program serves as an alternative to the Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) offered by Nigerian Universities.

The NBTE emphasized that the top-up program doesn’t replace HND programs in Polytechnics but provides an option for HND holders interested in academic careers. The choice to begin with foreign universities aims to demonstrate its universal acceptance, with the possibility of Nigerian universities adopting it later. The program is reasonably priced, costing about 10 percent of what regular face-to-face students pay.

NBTE introduced this program to bring Polytechnic HND holders on par with Bachelor’s degree holders, facilitating their pursuit of Master’s and Doctorate degrees for those interested in academic careers. Prof. Bugaje believes this initiative will alleviate the challenges faced by HND holders and encourage more candidates to pursue polytechnic education as a pathway to academic progression, without diluting the essence of technical education.