The State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia has approved plans to merge Altamaha Technical College and the Okefenokee Technical College.

In a release Thursday, Technical College System of Georgia spokesman Mike Light said the consolidation is expected to happen by July 1, 2014.

Officials say the current President of Okefenokee Technical College, Glenn Deibert, will serve as president of both institutions after they're merged.

Altamaha operates campuses in Jesup, Baxley, Brunswick, Hazlehurst and Kingsland.

Okefenokee Technical College operates in Waycross and Alma.

Officials say there were 33 technical colleges in the Georgia system in 2009 and the state has merged some of them to reduce administrative costs and increase efficiency.

After the merger, officials say there will be 23 technical colleges in the state's system.

Tags: Technical College System of Georgia, merger, technical college merger, College Mergers, altamaha technical college, okefenokee technical college