The Federal Government has announced plans to review the fee structure in Federal Technical Colleges, to ensure that students no longer pay tuition or other institutional charges that could hinder access to technical and vocational education.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during the T-31 student selection exercise for admission into Federal Technical Colleges, describing the move as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding access to quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) across the country.
Alausa said the proposed review would ensure that no student enrolled in any Federal Technical College bears the burden of paying tuition or other institutional fees that could constitute a barrier to acquiring industry-relevant technical skills.
According to the minister, the initiative is aimed at making technical education more accessible to young Nigerians while producing a skilled workforce capable of driving industrialisation, economic growth and national development.
He stressed that the admission process into the colleges must be conducted with fairness, transparency and accountability, urging all stakeholders to uphold the principles of merit, equity and excellence during the selection exercise. “I encourage all stakeholders to work collaboratively to ensure a seamless, credible and successful admission process. Remain guided by the principles of equity, accountability and excellence as you select the next generation of skilled technicians and craftsmen who will contribute meaningfully to Nigerian industrial and economic transformation,” Alausa said.
The Minister noted that strengthening technical education remains a key priority of the administration, adding that removing financial barriers would encourage more students to enrol in technical colleges and develop practical skills needed in various sectors of the economy.
Also speaking at the event, the Registrar of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr. Mohammed Aminu, said the T-31 student selection exercise was designed to ensure a transparent and merit-based admission process for candidates who sat the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) into Federal Technical Colleges.
Aminu disclosed that 15,290 candidates registered for the entrance examination, while 13,848 eventually sat for the test nationwide. He said 10,426 candidates, representing 75.29% of those who wrote the examination, scored 50 per cent and above, while 5,708 candidates, or 41.22%, obtained scores of at least 70%.
According to him, the examination was conducted across 34 Federal Technical Colleges and 168 State Technical Colleges nationwide. He added that admissions would be based on merit, available vacancies, candidates’ trade preferences, equity, transparency and the Federal Character Principle.
