Education minister Tunji Alausa has approved a one-year moratorium on new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics.

He, however, exempted health institutions due to low enrollment challenges.

This was announced in a statement by the National Board for Technical Education executive secretary, Idris Bugaje, on Thursday in Kaduna.

Mr Bugaje said the moratorium, which takes immediate effect, means that all new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics have been put on hold for 12 months.

He, however, said that institutions currently being assessed will be required to pay specific fees to continue the registration process.

“Polytechnics awaiting ministerial approval will be required to pay an application fee of N4 million and a processing fee of N2 million per programme of study.

“Monotechnics, on the other hand, will pay an application fee of N2 million and a processing fee of N1 million per programme of study. Applicants have 30 days to pay these fees, failure to which will result in the termination of the registration process.

“New health institutions, which are exempted from the moratorium, will pay the same fees as Monotechnics for registration,” he said.

According to the NBTE executive secretary, the objective of the move is to ensure that tertiary technical and vocational education and training institutions are properly populated within their approved carrying capacities.

(NAN)