The Federal Government has restated that tuition and all officially approved charges in Federal Technical Colleges (FTCs) across the country remain free, warning principals and administrators against imposing unauthorised levies on students.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance in a statement issued Wednesday and shared through the Ministry of Education’s official X handle on Thursday.
According to him, the government fully funds technical education in order to guarantee equal access for all Nigerian children. Circulars reinforcing this directive, he said, have already been dispatched to all Federal Technical Colleges.
No Extra Fees in Free Tuition Federal Technical Colleges
Dr. Alausa stressed that no school head is permitted to demand extra payments from parents or guardians. The government, he explained, bears the cost of approved expenses including boarding, uniforms, textbooks, exercise books, identity cards, medical services, vocational training, utilities, security, ICT, extra lessons, and insurance.
Parents and guardians have been urged to report any illegal demands directly to the Ministry of Education through hotlines 0803 657 6733, 0803 637 3796 or via email at ts*@***********ov.ng.
However, the Minister clarified that while tuition and core costs are fully covered, boarding students are still expected to provide personal items such as toiletries, beddings, cutlasses, hoes, rain boots, buckets, bathing soap, and one ream of A4 paper for registration.
Free Tuition in FTCs Supports Renewed Hope Agenda
Dr. Alausa described the policy as part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a pathway to human capital development and national competitiveness.
“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 Minister further assured that monitoring mechanisms have been established to swiftly address infractions, while calling on stakeholders to safeguard the free-education policy and support Federal Technical Colleges in producing skilled graduates for national development.
