Expert has called for the implementation of National Education Policy which incorporates guidance and counselling to end Higher National Diploma and Bachelors degrees dichotomy.
An education psychologist with University of Port Harcourt, Professor Chikwe Agbakwuru made this known in an interview with our correspondent.
Prof Agbakwuru, who said that the dichotomy was introduced in Nigerian civil service in 1974 explained that there is no baseline to compare HND and Bachelors qualifications to prompt unhealthy competition.
Prof. Agbakwuru stated that polytechnics are modeled for skill acquisition while the university is based on research development for national development.
“Based on the policy of the colonial masters regarding education in Nigeria our polytechnic education is modeled after the British polytechnic education which is styled after acquisition of skills in the industry while our universities, taken from what we inherited from the colonial model of education is centred on research development of policies and broad based education,” he stressed.
Prof. Agbakwuru maintained that if students are informed and guided early in life they will make the right decision on the choices of education to pursue.
” If I understand myself and attitude, that am a practical person, skilled based I should be guided by professionals, counsellors, and psychologists to develop it to that direction.
And if I understand myself that I belong to the other side, I should be properly guided.
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So if we have effective guidance and counselling department in the school, the students should be properly guided. As a result this issue of dichotomy and unhealthy competition would be erased completely”, he noted.
He advised the employees of labour to always stick to ability and ingenuity of employees while hiring labour and not to give preference to university graduates when the individual falls short of the job demand.
“I would advise employers to treat their employees based on their expertise, competence, and effectiveness.
If you acquire a degree and cannot defend it, I would not support you to boss somebody who has HND that is competent,” he concluded.
The academic advised government to fund education adequately for Nigerian students to be well trained and positioned for national development instead of engaging in unnecessary disparity between HND and Bachelors holders.
