The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Nigeria, says free education in the 33 Federal Science and Technical Colleges across the country will restore dignity to technical and vocational education.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government, on Sunday, removed all tuition fees at the 33 colleges with effect from the 2025/2026 academic session.
This is contained in a statement on Monday in Osogbo made available to newsmen by the National President of the association, Mr Sola Adigun.
Adigun said the initiative, under the newly launched Technical and Vocational Education and Training, would help to bridge the skills gap and also reduce unemployment in the country.
The national president described the move as a bold step in the right direction.
According to him, the initiative is capable of repositioning technical education in the country and preparing a generation of self-reliant and globally competitive youth.
“The initiative includes accomodation, monthly stipends, free meals, among others, which is highly commendable.
“It reflects a deliberate and strategic effort to equip young Nigerians with practical, industry-relevant skills and also removing financial barriers to access”, he said.
Adigun, however, emphasised the need for complementary policies and robust implementation strategies to guarantee the programme’s success and sustainability.
He recommended investment in teachers’ training, holistic implementation of the 65/40 retirement policy, inclusive stakeholders environment, transparent employment and grant schemes, among others.
The national president, however, affirmed the readiness of the association to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Education and relevant agencies to ensure the long-term success of the initiative.
He also called for a national dialogue on scaling up technical and vocational education policies to all states and public institutions
“Technical education is the future. If we get this right, we will have solved more than half of Nigeria’s youth unemployment crisis,” he said. (NAN)
