A WAVE of frustration and confusion has engulfed families in Imo State following the refusal of the Ministry of Education and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to admit successful candidates into Federal Technical Colleges.
News Point Nigeria reports that the aggrieved parents have now petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to urgently intervene in what they describe as a grave injustice to their children.
The affected children sat for the 2025/2026 Common Entrance Examination, with many selecting the Federal Science Technical College (FSTC), Oguta, Imo State as their first choice. To the shock of parents, the students were denied admission despite their successful performance.
The development comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s recent policy to convert all Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTCs) into full-fledged Federal Technical Colleges (FTCs), a move aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.
The transition is expected to take effect this academic session.
While the government argues that the reform will overhaul technical education and prepare Nigerian youths for employment and innovation-driven growth, parents say the sudden cancellation of admission is both unfair and disruptive.
Speaking on behalf of the parents, Mr. Ezenna Okoro lamented the hardship and anxiety the decision has caused families.
“We are frustrated and confused by the way our wards were refused admission into the Federal Technical Colleges without alternative arrangements.
“Our children diligently prepared for and sat for the examination, with FSTC Oguta as their first choice. It is unfair to deny them admission after so much effort,” he said.
The parents, in their petition to President Tinubu, demanded that the admission process for Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1 students be reinstated and that immediate alternative arrangements be provided for those affected.
A source at the Department of Service Delivery (Servicom), Federal Ministry of Education, confirmed the policy, noting that the new directive is nationwide.
“You know it’s a policy of the federal government, and it will begin with SS1 students. The regular admission process has been concluded, and each school has reached its capacity. So, I will advise affected parents to make alternative arrangements for their wards,” the official explained.
However, parents argue that the abrupt decision, without a transition plan, has left their children stranded at a critical stage of their education.
The development has sparked widespread outrage among parents, students, and education stakeholders, who insist that while reforms are necessary, policies affecting children’s education must be implemented with careful planning and fairness.
They called on the Federal Government to reconsider its stance, warning that failure to reinstate the admission process could undermine confidence in the country’s technical education reforms.