Lagos — Higher National Diploma (HND) is not equivalent to a university degree, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Stephen Oronsaye, has said.

Answering questions at a Forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, the head of service said: "It is not the same curriculum; that is the truth."

He said the Federal Ministry of Education was currently working on a scheme to enable HND graduates to spend an additional year to obtain "something that will be equivalent to B.Sc or B.Ed."

"Let me also say this to you, that there is a body, the National Council on Establishments where this thing was tabled.

"And unanimously, all of them said it cannot be equal; and that is the highest body to take this decision," he added.

However, the head of service, who said he knew of a white paper mandating the equation of both qualifications, advised HND holders to "better themselves".

"I know that the Ministry of Education is already doing something through the NUC.

"The holders of the HND or OND should actually avail themselves of that opportunity to better themselves so that they can aspire to get to grade level 17.

"I am not one of those who will shy away from saying it the way it is," Oronsaye said.

He said it was not true that the civil service system had created bottlenecks for those who wished to improve themselves.