Follow Us on Google
On May 11, 2026, I had the privilege of attending the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions and the 6th National Tertiary Admission Performance Merit Awards organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The annual gathering brings together heads of tertiary institutions, officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to deliberate on admission policies and the future of higher education in Nigeria.
The event also offered an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable achievements of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, whose tenure as JAMB Registrar comes to an end next month. In the last decade, Oloyede has transformed JAMB into one of Nigeria’s most transparent and credible public institutions. Through innovation, accountability and integrity, he has set standards that will endure long after his departure.
The policy meeting was attended by vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, education officials and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. It was at this gathering that stakeholders collectively agreed on the minimum admission scores for universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and nursing institutions.
After extensive deliberations and voting, the meeting adopted a minimum admission score of 150 for universities and colleges of nursing, while polytechnics and colleges of education were assigned a minimum score of 100. Although these figures merely represent minimum benchmarks and do not replace institutional or departmental requirements, the decision carries profound symbolic and practical implications.
Many participants left the venue satisfied that a fair consensus had been reached. Yet, for some observers, the outcome exposed a disturbing contradiction at the heart of Nigeria’s education system. At a time when polytechnic administrators continue to demand parity between Higher National Diploma (HND) holders and university graduates, it is difficult to understand why the same stakeholders would willingly endorse a significantly lower admission benchmark for polytechnics. By approving a minimum score of 100 out of 400 for polytechnic admission while setting 150 for universities, they have inadvertently undermined their own case.
The message embedded in this decision is unmistakable: universities are viewed as institutions for academically stronger candidates, while polytechnics are reserved for those who fall short of university requirements. Whether intended or not, that perception further entrenches the long-standing discrimination against technical and vocational education in Nigeria.
This is particularly unfortunate because polytechnics were never established to serve as repositories for academic leftovers. They were created to produce technologists, innovators, engineers, entrepreneurs, and highly skilled professionals capable of driving industrial development. Their role is central to national growth. Yet, by maintaining a substantially lower admission threshold, policymakers have reinforced the damaging belief that technical education is inferior to university education.
No nation has achieved meaningful industrialisation without investing heavily in technical and vocational education. Countries such as Germany, Singapore, China, Switzerland and Finland built their economic strength on robust technical institutions that command respect and attract talented students. Admission into many of these institutions is highly competitive because technical expertise is valued as much as academic scholarship. Unfortunately, Nigeria continues to promote a hierarchy that places university education above technical competence. We celebrate certificates while undervaluing skills. We reward titles while neglecting innovation.
The admission benchmark disparity reflects this misplaced national mindset. The implication is obvious. A candidate who scores 149 is deemed unsuitable for university admission but considered sufficiently qualified for a polytechnic. The message this sends to students, parents, employers and society at large is clear. It tells young Nigerians that polytechnics are second-choice institutions. It encourages parents to steer their children away from technical education. It gives employers another excuse to discriminate against HND holders. It reinforces the notion that polytechnic graduates are somehow less capable than their university counterparts.
This is one of the reasons the HND-BSc dichotomy has remained stubbornly persistent despite repeated government promises to eliminate it. Parity cannot be demanded at the workplace while inequality is institutionalised at the point of admission. The two positions are fundamentally incompatible. It is ironic that Nigeria continues to lament rising unemployment, inadequate industrial capacity, poor technological development, and shortages of skilled manpower, yet the very institutions established to address these challenges are routinely diminished through policy and perception.
The country’s problem is not merely a shortage of graduates; it is a shortage of employable graduates with practical skills. Across engineering, manufacturing, telecommunications, construction, ICT, agriculture and several other sectors, technical competence often matters more than theoretical knowledge. Many of Nigeria’s most employable professionals emerge from technical and vocational backgrounds. Still, the system continues to assign lower prestige to institutions designed to produce them. A nation seeking industrial growth cannot simultaneously devalue technical education. A country hoping to compete in innovation cannot treat technologists as second-class graduates. An economy aspiring to diversify cannot afford to stigmatise institutions that produce the skilled workforce required for that transformation.
This is not an argument against universities. Universities remain indispensable for research, scholarship, professional training and knowledge creation. But polytechnics are equally important within their own mandate. Both systems serve different but complementary purposes and should be accorded equal respect. Rather than lowering expectations for polytechnics, government should be raising their profile. Facilities should be modernised. Funding should be improved. Industry partnerships should be strengthened. Most importantly, admission policies should reflect confidence in the quality and relevance of technical education.
The experience of many developed countries offers useful lessons. Across Europe, North America and Asia, several polytechnics have evolved into universities of technology, offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees while maintaining their strong practical orientation. Many foreign universities readily admit Nigerian HND holders into postgraduate programmes because they recognise the quality and rigour of technical education. The question is: Why then should Nigeria continue to send signals that its own polytechnics are inferior?
The government should reconsider the 100-point benchmark. Polytechnics deserve admission standards that reflect excellence, competitiveness and confidence in their mission. Institutions that cannot attract students without dramatically lowering admission requirements should focus on improving quality rather than seeking policy concessions. At the same time, the long-standing discrimination against HND holders in employment and career progression must be eliminated completely. Merit, competence and performance should determine opportunities.
Ultimately, a nation that despises technical education cannot industrialise. A country that undervalues technologists cannot become globally competitive. A society that measures intelligence solely through university admission standards risks sacrificing the very skills needed for economic transformation. The 100-versus-150 admission policy may appear administrative, but its psychological and societal consequences are far-reaching. Instead of elevating polytechnic education, it reinforces the false narrative that technical institutions are designed for academically weaker students.
That is a dangerous message for a country desperately seeking industrial and technological advancement. If policymakers truly believe in the importance of technical education, their policies must reflect that belief. Respect for polytechnics cannot be expressed in speeches while undermined in practice. Nigeria must stop treating technical education as an afterthought and begin recognising it as a strategic pillar of national development. Until that happens, students will continue to shun polytechnics, employers will continue to discriminate against their graduates and the nation’s dream of genuine industrial transformation will remain frustratingly elusive.
