NBTE Scraps HND Computer Science, Floats Four New Courses

The Nation Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has announced the unbundling of Higher National Diploma Computer Science programmes in Polytechnics.

This is just as schools are now to offer Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Cloud Computing, Software and Web Development and Cybersecurity and Data Protection at the HND level to replace the faced-out Computer Science program.

This was contained in a letter addressed to the Director General, National Youth Service Corps, and copied to the Director General, Industrial Training Fund NBTE, Rectors/Provosts and Heads of Polytechnics, Monotechnics and Similar Technology Institutions.

NBTE in the letter signed by its Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, a copy obtained by Osun Defender, said the decision was due to emerging trends and the need to strategically position Nigeria graduates for a more effective national development.

The letter stated that there would no longer be admissions into the HND Computer Science programme from the 2024/2025 academic session.

Date January 8, 2024, the letter further stated that students who had already been admitted into the former programmes are given up to 2025 to phase out.

The letter read in part, “In view of the above, you are requested to kindly note that admissions from the 2024/2025
academic session into the erstwhile HND Computer Science programme will be only in the aforementioned four specialized areas.”

“Due to emerging trends and the need to strategically position our graduates for a more effective national development.

“I wish to notify you that the Board has unbundled the HND COMPUTER
SCIENCE programme run in all institutions under our purview.

“The new specialized areas floated
out of the former are as follows: i: HND Artificial Intelligence;
ii: HND Networking and Cloud Computing;
iii: HND Software and Web Development;
iv: HND Cybersecurity and Data Protection.

“Consequently, there will no longer be admissions into the HND COMPUTER SCIENCE programme from the 2024/2025 academic session.

“Students that have already been admitted into the former programmes are given up to 2025 to phase out. The grace period is to enable concerned institutions to graduate students that were admitted under the old curricula.

“In view of the above, you are requested to kindly note that admissions from the 2024/2025
academic session into the erstwhile HND Computer Science programme will be only in the aforementioned four specialized areas.”