BSc and HND Parity to Reshape Nigeria's Education Path—Rector Dr. Abdul-Hameed of Fed Poly Ayede Speaks

The Federal Polytechnic in Ayede, located in Oyo State, was among the six polytechnics inaugurated under the leadership of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021. In an interview with reporters, the institution’s initial Rector, Dr. Taofeek Adekunle Abdul-Hameed, discussed the progress made since taking charge. Here are some key points from the conversation as highlighted by SAM NWAOKO.

How does it feel when you get new students? What is the enrollment process like? Do they encourage you, and what about your qualification for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)?

I would like to extend my appreciation to the Federal Government, skillfully headed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the National Board for Technical Education (NABTEB), and the leadership of TETFund. The assistance provided by TETFund has been immensely beneficial to our institution. Various initiatives across both our temporary and permanent locations have been made possible through funding from TETFund. This includes facilities such as an auditorium at our temporary location and multiple developments at our permanent one. Every penny of the initial financial aid we obtained went towards building structures at our permanent campus. We express deep gratitude to the president, the minister of education, TETFund, and NABTEB for their comprehensive backing.

When considering enrollment numbers, among the six polytechnics founded concurrently, we stand out as having the largest student body. Currently, our total enrollment stands around 1,200 students, which explains why TETFund consistently responds favorably to our requests across various fronts. Beyond infrastructure projects, thanks to funding from TETFund, numerous students have received sponsorships for their Ph.D., M.Sc., and IBR programs. Consequently, we've experienced substantial backing from TETFund over the years. Most recently, when leaders from higher education institutions convened in Abuja, they shared insights into TETFund’s plans for each of us leading up to 2025. These interventions promise significant advancements for our institution. Thus, not only are we qualified recipients of TETFund assistance but also consistent beneficiaries—and future prospects remain promising. Our reliance on TETFund extends to both facility upgrades and professional development initiatives, making us deeply appreciative of such continuous support.

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It appears your passion underscores the increased competition between those with Bachelor's degrees and those with ND/HND qualifications within the nation. Additionally, legislation aimed at eliminating this divide has advanced to the second stage of consideration in the House of Representatives. Could you share your views on achieving equal recognition for graduates from these two different kinds of higher education institutions?

I advocate for parity since abilities and trades are currently highly valued globally. Advanced nations prioritize these areas. For instance, China’s progress today is due to their focus on fostering entrepreneurial growth via skill enhancement and vocational training. Having earned multiple degrees from various institutions and spent more than three decades in the polytechnic sector, I’ve had ample opportunity to compare educational approaches. The reason our country isn’t advancing as swiftly as it could be stems from our excessive reliance on academic credentials. Only when the government starts prioritizing skills and trade education will we see significant improvement. At NBTE, our motto is "Skills instead of Degrees" because developing practical skills is crucial. No country can achieve true advancement without emphasizing skill acquisition.

In developed countries, upon graduating from polytechnic institutions, students receive degrees like B.Tech rather than HNDs. The British system, which we adopted, has long moved away from offering only HNDs. Currently, they offer B.Tech and BSc degrees among others. Why then does Nigeria remain an outlier? This obsession with formal credentials leads us to consider ourselves superior simply based on our educational attainment; someone who holds a bachelor’s degree may erroneously feel more accomplished compared to someone holding an HND. However, true value lies in one’s contributions to societal progress, beyond mere academic achievements or theoretical knowledge. Therefore, I commend the National Assembly for providing this chance, and I trust that the legislation will soon pass and gain presidential approval. We even anticipated that during the previous government’s term, these measures might have been enacted sooner—once individuals possess both HND and B.Sc., their statuses ought to align accordingly. Now is the moment to shift our emphasis from paperwork to tangible social impact through meaningful contributions.

Parity is merely an abstract requirement and remains unclear. What are your thoughts on how it might lead to concrete changes in society once realized?

Once equality is attained and polytechnics concentrate on their original objectives, this shift will have a beneficial effect on society. In the past, I understood that if you were an undergraduate at The Polytechnic Ibadan or Yaba College of Technology, your proficiency in practical tasks surpassed those of university students. However, as discrimination intensified, many students focused solely on obtaining certifications rather than fully utilizing these institutions' intended purpose. Traditional universities tend to emphasize theory, while polytechnics aim to develop skilled professionals driving national economic progress. Initially conceived to produce mid-level workers, today’s polytechnics also cultivate high-skilled individuals whose contributions significantly benefit society.

The trip must have been quite memorable for being the inaugural Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Ayede. What was your experience like?

Indeed, this journey has been quite remarkable—akin to leading someone into an uncharted forest and asking them to build a city from scratch. Despite the difficulties encountered due to the lack of infrastructure and resources, such as unpaid salaries and makeshift operations spanning nine months without proper facilities, both the dedicated efforts of the management team and council members enabled us to surmount these obstacles. As a nascent organization during our initial year, we faced significant hurdles; notably, having neither premises nor payroll until late in 2021 when things began stabilizing somewhat. However, progress became evident throughout 2022 thanks largely to strategic partnerships. Our provisional campus location—an old facility previously used for youth development initiatives—was secured via key stakeholder support. Additionally, leveraging relentless effort led to securing administrative buildings courtesy of collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works facilitated again by another pivotal partner. Acknowledging contributors individually could fill pages, yet each played crucial roles either directly or indirectly toward achieving milestones last year. With assistance from entities including the Head of Civil Service’s office alongside agencies like FCC, Budget Office, and Office of the Accountant General, recruitment drives commenced successfully adding around 150 personnel to bolster staffing needs. Subsequently, consultations held between ourselves and regulatory bodies resulted in positive outcomes. Specifically, engaging with the National Board for Technical Education yielded approvals allowing commencement of educational programs amidst prevailing constraints. Initially aiming higher, seeking clearance for twelve distinct disciplines eventually saw fruition limited initially to four core areas: Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Statistics, and Science Lab Tech—all underpinned by supportive guidance ensuring alignment across various benchmarks necessary for academic rigor. Notably, compared against parallel institutions receiving fewer program clearances, our expanded scope stands testament to overcoming numerous challenges en route towards establishing robust foundational structures essential for long-term success within our field.

In due course, we initiated our educational operations in July 2022. Since then, we've begun advancing steadily, continually informing both our employees and various parties involved that attending Federal Polytechnic Ayede isn't merely about earning a degree. Given the current job market challenges, we aim for our graduates to enter their professional lives without needing to search for work actively. Therefore, fostering entrepreneurial skills stands as a priority; this approach has yielded remarkable success—so much so that some of our students received job offers prior to completing their studies thanks to the knowledge they gained here.

The challenges are quite enormous indeed, but, above all, we have fared well. Like I always tell my staff, the good can never be better than the best. We are aspiring to be the best and if we are able to sustain this tempo, in the next few years we will be able to compete favourably with first and second-generation polytechnics.

In what way does this arrangement facilitate research and enhance the capabilities of the polytechnic’s employees?

Research and capacity enhancement hold significant importance for us, as evidenced by our initiatives at the Federal Polytechnic Ayede. Having launched operations only in 2022, we've managed to engage 32 researchers across multiple disciplines—a feat many more established institutions haven’t achieved. This underscores our commitment to motivating faculty members toward impactful research aimed at societal advancement. In terms of practical skill-building, we're well-prepared. Our aim at the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, is to ensure every graduating student receives dual certification: one for their primary field of study and another for entrepreneurial development. Currently, we support 21 individuals through TETFund scholarships for overseas training and conferences, with an additional 90 benefiting from domestic events. Management actively promotes participation among staff in these gatherings to foster idea exchange and stimulate progress within the institution.

Media coverage highlighted a building collapse at your established location. This event seemed premature for an organization still in its formative years.

Despite these media claims, neither our temporary nor permanent locations experienced any building collapses. This report holds absolutely no truth. Nevertheless, during the construction phase at our permanent site, an incident occurred where the cantilever of a structure—still unfinished and lacking a roof—detached from the main build. We found this news surprising since it pertained only to a work-in-progress facility rather than one that had been finalized and transferred. All structures have undergone integrity checks and received certification from appropriate oversight bodies. Some individuals seem inclined towards causing trouble despite everything being up to standard.

We have seen reports indicating that certain stakeholders felt marginalized within the operations of the polytechnic, prompting questions about their identities. According to records from my office covering the period from 2022 through 2025, everything has been running smoothly. Nevertheless, due to political motives and corrupt practices, individuals chose to manipulate situations; this raises doubts regarding the true nature of such 'stakeholders.' Supervision is carried out by various bodies like the Office of the Auditor-General under both the federal government and TETFund, along with representatives from engineering departments. Additionally, officials from the Federal Ministry of Education participate alongside technical experts. These oversight entities provide positive assessments, yet one wonders about the identity of these so-called 'stakeholders'. In our current social climate, where malfeasance thrives primarily due to corruption, standing firm against unethical behavior often leads others to attempt discrediting one’s reputation.

What sectors require both prompt and ongoing support?

For now, the primary focus should be on improving the road network leading to our permanent location. This development would greatly aid both the institution and our administrative efforts. Without access routes like these, even constructing around a dozen buildings would serve little purpose since they wouldn’t be utilized effectively. If someone could help connect our permanent site with Ogbomoso, Odo Oba, and Ajaawa, it would truly make an enormous difference. The temporary facility won’t last much longer as it’s reaching capacity constraints, necessitating additional classrooms and office spaces. We express gratitude towards our traditional leaders and law enforcement agencies for their contributions toward enhancing security measures at our new premises. Should we relocate to this permanent spot anytime soon, everything necessary has been arranged accordingly. Regarding student housing solutions, the Federal Government supports public-private partnerships (PPP), which aligns well with several current proposals under consideration here.

How do you interact with the local community?

Our relationship with the local community remains amicable. While it’s impossible to please everyone, we maintain strong ties within this group. During the initial two rounds of hiring, where we had 150 positions available, approximately 32% of these roles went to residents from Oyo State, and another 21% were filled by individuals from Osun State. The House Committee on Federal Character required us to adhere strictly to the principles of equitable representation during future recruitment processes. This means ensuring diversity across regions including Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, among others. Although we haven’t relocated to our final location in Ayede just yet, relations remain positive at our current interim facility thanks largely to the welcoming attitude demonstrated by members of the Iresa Pupa neighborhood. I would like to express my gratitude towards ‘Soun of Ogbomoso,’ King Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye who continues to provide invaluable guidance and backing. His advice encourages continuous progress beyond what might be expected under normal circumstances. Furthermore, both Chief Ariyibi Ajanaoba of Iresapa Pupanpa and High Chiefs from various areas continue showing kindness toward our project despite lacking an official ruler for Ayede town currently due to ongoing disputes over succession rights amongst certain factions which sometimes lead them to sow discord through false narratives.

What do you anticipate regarding moving to your permanent location, and have you set a date for potentially relocating there?

We initially planned to relocate there in December 2024, but the poor state of the roads has become a significant hurdle. We've been making earnest efforts to get assistance from the Federal Government. We’ve established connections with the Federal Ministry of Works as well as FERMA—the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency—and also engaged with the Oyo State government. Recently, along with the chairman of Ogo-Oluwa Local Government, we inspected the condition of the road personally. With God’s blessing, provided everything goes smoothly, our aim is now set for September of this year.

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