The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, approved a one-year moratorium on new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics, a move aimed at managing the growth of tertiary technical and vocational institutions.
However, health institutions have been exempted from the moratorium due to challenges related to low enrollment numbers.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, on Thursday in Kaduna.
According to Prof. Bugaje, the moratorium, which takes immediate effect, halts all new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics for a 12-month period.
Institutions currently under assessment, however, will still be required to pay specific fees to continue the registration process.
Prof. Bugaje elaborated on the fees, stating, “Polytechnics awaiting ministerial approval will need to pay an application fee of N4 million and a processing fee of N2 million per programme of study.
Monotechnics, on the other hand, will pay an application fee of N2 million and a processing fee of N1 million per programme of study.”
Applicants have 30 days to make the required payments, after which failure to do so will result in the termination of the registration process.
Health institutions, which are exempt from the moratorium, will be subject to the same fee structure as monotechnics for registration.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Prof. Bugaje noted that the primary goal of the move is to ensure that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions operate within their approved capacities and are adequately populated.
NAN
