Acting Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr. Olatunde Aworanti, has said low enrolment for science and technical colleges is as   result of poor funding of technical education, societal preference for liberal arts education and parental and peer influences.

Dr. Aworanti also said the shift from technical and vocational education to science education and the non-availability of many trades in the programme of study of some of the colleges are other reasons for low enrolment.

Besides, the acting NABTEB boss warned that the trend would continue unless it was reversed by the stakeholders.

Aworanti spoke while addressing principals of science and technical colleges and officials of states and federal Ministries of Education during a students, selection and placement meeting into the colleges on Wednesday, in Benin City, the Edo State Capital.

The acting registrar said 17,348 candidates nationwide bought forms for this year’s Common Entrance Examination into the technical colleges as against 19,057 last year.