Education Minister Cautions Technical Colleges Against Illegal Charges
By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa has warned principals of Federal Technical Colleges (FTC) against demanding unauthorized payments from parents or guardians adding that the tuition was already paid by the government.
Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Folasade Boriowo announced this in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the statement, tuition is completely free, and the government also covers approved charges including boarding, uniforms, textbooks, exercise books, prospectus, ID cards, stationery, clubs and societies, medical, vocational, utilities, security, website/e-result, Skool Media, extra lessons, and insurance.
Dr. Alausa, stressed that the government bears the full cost of tuition to guarantee equal access. He warned that no principal or administrator was permitted to demand unauthorized payments from parents or guardians and directed that circulars reinforcing this policy be sent to all schools and parents.
Parents are urged to report illegal demands directly to the Ministry through:
Hotline: 0803 657 6733, 0803 637 3796
Email: [email protected]
The Minister clarified that while tuition and core expenses were fully covered, students of Federal Technical Colleges, as boarders, were expected to provide their personal items.
This initiative reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a pathway to human capital development. By equipping youth with employable skills, the government seeks to strengthen national progress and competitiveness.
“No Nigerian child should be denied access to technical education because of illegal charges. By investing in education today, we are building a stronger, self-reliant Nigeria,” Dr. Alausa affirmed.
The Ministry confirmed that monitoring mechanisms are in place to address any infractions swiftly. Stakeholders are urged to safeguard the free-education policy and ensure Federal Technical Colleges fulfil their mandate of producing skilled graduates for national transformation.
