By Adaku Akomas
The Federal Government has announced the commencement of applications for admission into Federal Technical Colleges across the country, reaffirming its commitment to free technical education, skills development and youth empowerment.
The initiative was approved by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, as part of efforts to expand access to quality technical and vocational education in Nigeria.
In a statement by the Ministry of Education, registration for the National Common Entrance Examination into Federal Technical Colleges will open on Monday, January 26, 2026, and close on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
The entrance examination is scheduled to hold nationwide on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
The ministry said applications must be completed through the National Business and Technical Examinations Board portal, while possession of a valid National Identification Number is compulsory for all applicants.
Admission is open to candidates aged between 13 and 20 years, and technical education in Federal Technical Colleges is fully funded upon admission.
The Federal Government said the programme is designed to equip young Nigerians with practical, employable and industry-relevant skills to enhance national productivity.
In a related development, the government has inaugurated a Book Ranking and Selection Committee to improve the quality and affordability of textbooks used in Nigerian schools.
The Minister of Education said the committee will reform the textbook approval system by introducing quality benchmarks and ranking only seven textbooks per subject for use in schools for a minimum of three years.
The government said the reforms will ease financial pressure on parents, end arbitrary book selection and ensure that only high-quality instructional materials are adopted nationwide.
