The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the merging of technical colleges with science colleges, arguing that it undermines the original purpose of establishing technical colleges across Nigeria.

Mamman made these remarks on Wednesday during a one-day stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, addressing “The Challenges and Issues Affecting Technical Colleges” in the country.

He emphasized that technical colleges were intended exclusively for students interested in technical education.

“At what stage do we have the technical colleges become science and technical colleges? They were supposed to be Federal Government Technical Schools,” Mamman stated. “So, at what stage did we smuggle in science because I don’t understand? We know that science is very key to everything we are doing but that is not the agenda for this institution.”

Mamman pointed out that students who wish to pursue science programs should attend regular colleges. He labeled the merger as a clear mistake and indicated that he, alongside the Minister of State, the Permanent Secretary, and the directors, would re-evaluate this decision.

The minister also expressed concern over the low enrollment rates in technical colleges, stressing that these institutions are vital for imparting skills essential for the country’s transformation.

“This is really important because the technical colleges are at the heart of what this ministry and government want to achieve for this country,” he noted. “It is about our educational system and as it has been said, when you’re able to achieve it in education, the nation succeeds. This is because we provide the primary manpower for the country which has an impact in all sectors of the country.”

However, Mamman praised the Universal Basic Education Commission’s smart school initiative, stating that it would facilitate the robust digitization necessary for the country’s growth.