The Federal Government has restated that tuition and approved fees in all Federal Technical Colleges (FTCs) remain free, warning principals and administrators against imposing unauthorised charges on students.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, gave the warning in a statement issued and shared via the ministry’s X handle on Thursday.
He said the government bears the full cost of tuition to guarantee equal access to technical education, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a pathway to human capital development.
According to him, the Federal Government covers approved expenses such as boarding, uniforms, textbooks, exercise books, prospectuses, ID cards, stationery, clubs and societies, medical services, vocational training, utilities, security, websites/e-results, Skool Media, extra lessons, and insurance.
“No administrator is permitted to demand extra payments from parents or guardians. Circulars have been dispatched to all schools to reinforce this directive,” the minister said.
He urged parents to report illegal demands directly to the ministry through hotlines 0803 657 6733 and 0803 637 3796, or via email at tse@education.gov.ng.
Alausa, however, explained that while tuition and core expenses are fully covered, boarding students are still expected to provide some personal items such as toiletries, beddings, and clothing.
“No Nigerian child should be denied access to technical education because of illegal charges. By investing in education, we are building a stronger, self-reliant Nigeria,” he said.
The ministry added that a list of personal items required from boarding students includes white bed sheets, pillowcases, cutlasses, hoes, rain boots, buckets, bathing soap, and toiletries, while one ream of A4 paper will also be required for registration.
He assured that monitoring mechanisms have been put in place to check infractions, while urging stakeholders to help safeguard the free-education policy and ensure Federal Technical Colleges fulfil their role of producing skilled graduates for national development