THE
polytechnics alumni, under the auspices of the Higher National Diploma
(HND) Holders’ Association of Nigeria, has issued a seven-day ultimatum
to the Federal Government to stop discrimination against polytechnics
graduates in public service in the country or face legal action.
Specifically,
the association urged the Federal Government to remove the placement of
Grade Level 14 ceiling on career progression of HND holders in the
public service.
The
association’s legal adviser, Mr Kelvin Emeka Okoro, while briefing
newsmen in Abuja, on Tuesday, lamented that holders of HND certificates
had been subjected to all manners of “injustice, hatred, discrimination
and stagnation in the public service, irrespective of their competencies
and performance.”
The
association also called on the Federal Government to ensure speedy
resolution of the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union
Polytechnics (ASUP) and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union
(COEASU) for the students to return back the school.
Okoro,
however, accused the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation as
being the stumbling block towards the removal of the dichotomy between
polytechnics and universities graduates.
According
to him, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had, in one of its landmark
resolutions on Wednesday, March 14, 2007, noted that “HND certificates
would remain a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such certificate
would continue to be recognised as equivalent of first degree without
discriminatory remuneration and limit to progression in work place.”
He
said this was in addition to other avalanche of presidential directives
and panel’s recommendations on the need to remove the HND/B.Sc
dichotomy.
Okoro
added that the association had been relentless in its appeal for the
removal of the dichotomy, as well as implementation of the Government
White Paper on the report of Presidential Committee on Consolidation of
Emoluments in the Public Service on September 27, 2006.
“The
association, at two separate periods, in March and August, 2011,
respectively wrote appeal to relevant agencies, including the Office of
the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, without any positive
response.
“Recently,
the association wrote several letters to various stakeholders,
including, HOS Office, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister
of Justice, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senate
President, Speaker of House of Representatives and Human Rights
Commission.
“Having
received no single response to the above, the association further
forwarded a pre-action notice, dated March 31, which expired at the
beginning of this month (May), yet, there was no response.
“The
option left for the association is to address this World Press
Conference and thereafter, approach the appropriate Court for the
actualisation of this landmark decision of the Federal Government,”
Okoro said.
In
a related development, the Federal Government has taken steps toward
resolving the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of
Polytechnics (ASUP), with inauguration of a committee on Tuesday, to
bridge the dichotomy between holders of HND and B.Sc.
While
inaugurating the committee, Supervising Minister of Education, Mr
Nyesom Wike, said it was in line with the final process of resolving one
of the key demands of the ASUP, who had been on strike.
Tagged
the Technical Review Committee on the Contents and Curriculum of HND,
the inter-ministerial committee has three terms of reference and three
weeks to submit its report.
The
terms of reference included (a) review the curriculum for HND graduates
(b) introduction of a bridging course that will pave the way for the
recognition of HND to reach the Highest Grade Level in the public
service and (c) design a programme to enable the polytechnics award
B.Tech degree which is equivalent to degree.
The
committee, which has the permanent secretary of Federal Ministry of
Education as chairman, has members drawn from the Ministry of Labour,
office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, office of
the Head of Civil service of the Federation, National Board for
Technical Education and National Universities Commission.
Other
members were drawn from the National Commission for Colleges of
Education, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Nigeria
Employers Consultative Association and the President of Academic Staff
Union of Polytechnics.
The minister urged members to work hard within stipulated time to resolve the challenge posed by the dichotomy.\
In
his response, chairman of the committee and Permanent Secretary,
Federal Ministry of Education, Dr MacJohn Nwaobiala, assured the
minister that the review would be completed in three weeks.
Source: The Nigeria Tribune
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