The Federal Government has placed a one-year suspension on the registration of new polytechnics and monotechnics across the country, citing low enrollment challenges. However, health institutions are exempted from the suspension.
Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, approved the moratorium, which takes immediate effect, according to a statement released on Thursday, February 13, by Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), in Kaduna.
Bugaje stated that during this period, all new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics will be put on hold. However, institutions currently undergoing assessment will still have the opportunity to continue their registration process—provided they meet specific financial requirements.
According to him, polytechnics awaiting ministerial approval must pay an application fee of N4 million and a processing fee of N2 million per programme of study, while monotechnics will be required to pay N2 million as an application fee and N1 million per programme for processing.
Applicants have 30 days to make these payments; failure to do so will result in the termination of the registration process. Bugaje also clarified that new health institutions, which are exempted from the suspension, will be subject to the same registration fees as monotechnics.
The NBTE executive secretary emphasized that the decision aims to ensure that technical and vocational education institutions maintain a proper student population within their approved carrying capacities.
