B.Sc and HND to be treated as equal

The degrees acquired at universities, polytechnics and colleges are to be treated as of equal importance and the senate committee on tertiary education is currently working on it.

The chairman of the committee, Sen. Binta Garba, commented on the process in Abuja on Wednesday: “Again what we are doing as a committee on tertiary institution; we are trying to come out with a conference on legislative agenda on education. We are trying to look at all other summits on education, trying to look at policies of government on education and trying to see how we can have a balance. 

Not every one of us can go to the university because this syndrome or dichotomy between the university, polytechnic and colleges of education, I think we want to streamline it and allow every person that has gone to any tertiary institution to believe that he is not a second class citizen, but a first class citizen.” 

Gender parity and education in Nigeria 

Touching on the matter of gender equlaity she stated: “First and foremost I am a firm believer in gender parity, not gender equality because when we talk about gender equality, it sends a very wrong signal even to the men folk. 

They now look at the spiritual aspect and what have you. But educationally, it is the right of every Nigerian child to be educated by the government. Once that child is denied the right, obviously you are creating a community that tomorrow, every one of us will be sorry for.” 

Accessible education for all 

Despite some parts of Nigeria still experience challenges limiting children’s access to education, the government has done a lot to initiate a policy “that will be friendly to all and sundry.”

“In the northern part of the country, the problem of education is on the girl child, while in the southern part, the problem is the boy. When you blend the two and come up with a policy that will be friendly to all and sundry, definitely every child will have his education.”