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The House of Representatives Tuesday passed the bill for an act to abolish and prohibit the dichotomy and discrimination between First Degrees and Higher National Diploma, HND in the the same profession.
The bill which was read for third time and passed into law at plenary seeks to abolish and prohibit discrimination of any form whatsoever between First Degree and HND in the same profession or field in Nigeria.
According to provisions of the bill, “First Degrees and Higher National Diplomas in the same profession or fields shall be deemed and treated as exact equivalent graduate certificates.
“All forms of discrimination and or dichotomy between First Degrees and Higher National Diplomas in the same profession or field in any form whatsoever is hereby abolished.
“All forms of discrimination and or dichotomy between First Degrees and Higher National Diplomas in the same profession or field in any form whatsoever is hereby prohibited.
“Accordingly, no person, entity (body or corporate) in whatsoever name called shall discriminate and or undertake any action in any form whatsoever which is construed as and or intended to give any preferential treatment in favour and or against holders of First Degree or Higher National Diploma in the same field”.
The bill also stipulated that, “contravention of this law by a corporate entity and or an individual is an offence punishable on conviction; to a fine of five million Naira to the staff found guilty in the case of a corporate entity and one million or imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or both, in the case of an individual.
“This bill shall be applicable to both public service and private sector where graduates are employed in the same profession or fields.
“Holders of First Degrees and Higher National Diplomas in the same profession or field shall be given equal treatment and opportunity in career placements, progressions, admission to further studies and in any other form whatsoever in consideration of status as graduates of Nigerian Tertiary Institutions of Higher Learning”.
James Kwen, Abuja
