"The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has already short listed polytechnics that are qualified for the take-off," said Hajiya Aishatu Dukku, Minister of State for Education.

Dukku told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the HND would be replaced with the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) degree.

"The polytechnics would begin to award B. Tech degrees to their graduates at the end of their courses instead of the HND. The essence is to strengthen polytechnic education and make the institutions concentrate on their primary mandate, as well as increase access to tertiary education," she said.

Dukku said the plan was part of government's efforts to enhance development of Technical Education as a prelude for the attainment of the 2020 Vision.

The minister, who went round to supervise Saturday's Monotechnics, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Examination (MPCE) in the FCT, attributed the large turn out of candidates to the development. 320,000 candidates sat for the test conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) nationwide.