Public Complaints Commission and stakeholders have called for the promotion of technical education to reframe the public perception of the disparity between higher national diplomas and bachelor’s degrees in civil service across the country.

Kehinde Oni, PCC federal commissioner representing Ondo, who made the call during a public hearing organised by the commission on Thursday in Akure, also called for the upgrade of polytechnics.

Mr Oni said that the upgrade and promotion of polytechnics were to close the gap between HND and bachelor’s degree holders and to solve future problems in the country.

“Our polytechnics need to be upgraded and emphasise more on building skills like advanced vocational study. Campaigns highlighting the value of technical and vocational education must be intensified to reframe public perceptions,” Mr Oni said.

He, therefore, called on stakeholders for collective responsibility to ensure that the educational system did not create barriers but built bridges.

Ayo Aroge, director at the National Board for Technical Education, South-West, said there was a need to scrap the HND to Bachelor of Technology for the holders to reach the director’s cadre.

“It is a national embarrassment for somebody that has five or six years training to be limited in terms of career moderation, this dichotomy should be removed.

“If the dichotomy is so difficult to remove, then HND should be scrapped completely and replaced with Bachelor of Technology so that it will automatically end this barrier,” he said.

He, therefore, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to sign the bill passed by the ninth assembly on the HND/BSC disparity to benefit holders and improve the country’s economy.

Bayo Philip, head of service in Ondo, said that governments needed to upgrade polytechnics rather than set up a new university of technology.

Mr Philip, therefore, reiterated his commitment to ensure that polytechnic graduates in Ondo’s civil service would advance to grade 15 instead of 14, which was the level pegged by the government.

(NAN)