The Federal Government has announced a one-year moratorium on new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, approved the decision, which is aimed at ensuring that tertiary Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions are properly populated within their approved carrying capacities.
According to the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, Prof. Idris Bugaje, the moratorium takes immediate effect, meaning that all new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics are put on hold for 12 months.
Health institutions are exempted from this ban due to low enrollment challenges. However, institutions currently being assessed will need to pay specific fees to continue the registration process.
The registration fees include N4 million application fee and N2 million processing fee per programme of study for polytechnics, and N2 million application fee and N1 million processing fee per programme of study for monotechnics.
Applicants have 30 days to pay these fees, or risk termination of the registration process. This move is expected to have a significant impact on the education sector in Nigeria, as it aims to reduce the proliferation of substandard institutions and improve the overall quality of education.
The government’s decision to impose a moratorium on new polytechnics and monotechnics is seen as a strategic move to ensure that existing institutions are adequately equipped to provide quality education before new ones are established.
The National Board for Technical Education has been working to ensure that technical and vocational education institutions in Nigeria meet the required standards. This move is part of the board’s efforts to sanitize the education sector and ensure that institutions provide quality education.
The moratorium is expected to last for 12 months, after which the government will review the situation and decide on the next course of action.
