Education renewal gathers more momentum
As of today, many national strikes across public universities in the country have been averted following a landmark agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities
As of today, many national strikes across public universities in the country have been averted following a landmark agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). More funds are now available to the universities, members of trade unions and indigent students. With the recent release of Quarterly Overview of Programmes/Policies and Financial Incentives of the Federal Ministry of Education, the reforms initiated to improve access, quality, and inclusiveness in education are being assiduously implemented to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda for Education focusing on human capital development and skills acquisition, ASSISTANT EDITOR BOLA OLAJUWON reports.
A paradigm shift in education
When the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa and Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad were appointed into their posts on October 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under his Renewed Hope Agenda for Education, gave them two thematic agenda: “Transform Nigeria education from a resource based economy to a knowledge based economy”, and “Ensure every child has access to quality education in safe and supportive environments, no matter their background or location”.
The ministry had since then been prioritising education as a key driver of national development with a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s education system focusing on access, skill acquisition, and digital transformation.
Some noticeable initiatives being implemented include Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) with approximately 983,706 students, with over 1.56 million applications received since the launch of the portal on May 24, 2024.
According to recent updates, NELFUND had disbursed N183.8 billion in student loans, with N107 billion paid as institutional fees and N76.8 billion released as upkeep allowances. The proposed 2026 federal education budget is N3.52 trillion, maintaining the same nominal allocation as 2025 within a total proposed spending plan of N58.18 trillion.
Also, the ministry also inaugurates Digital Nigerian Education Management Information System (DNEMIS) to track learners from basic to tertiary levels, enhancing data accuracy. Basic and Senior Secondary Education Curricula were revised to incorporate 21st-century skills like digital literacy and entrepreneurship.
A continuous painstaking implementation of reforms
With the recent release of Quarterly Overview of Programmes/Policies and Financial Incentives since becoming minister, it shows that the reforms embarked upon by the minister are painstakingly being implemented and aimed at overhaul of the education system focusing on access, skill acquisition, and digital transformation.
To achieve the two presidential directives, the ministry developed the Nigerian Education Sector Renewed Initiative (NESRI). The NESRI six–point agenda include: TVET, STEMM, Out-of-school children and Almajiri, Data and Digitalisation, Girl-child education, and Education Quality Assurance.
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Specifically, TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training): Focuses on equipping youth with practical skills for the labour market through the upgrade of technical colleges and the rollout of modular training approaches.
Also, STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine): Aims to boost innovation and global competitiveness by prioritizing these subjects in the national curriculum and offering scholarships to encourage student interest.
It also includes a primary target to reduce the estimated 18.3 million out-of-school children through the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE). Strategies include integrating modern literacy and numeracy into the traditional Tsangaya system.
The data and digitalisation aspects involves the launch of the National Education Data System and tools like EduTrace to provide real-time visibility into educational assets and resources.
The agenda also prioritises gender-inclusive education through initiatives like the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and the LUMINAH programme to ensure equitable access.
The Education Quality Assurance aspect is being implemented through digital platforms and teacher development frameworks to standardise learning outcomes and ensure accountability across all levels of the education system.
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Therefore, it is not surprising that within the six-point agenda, the ministry under the minister has facilitated multiple policy reforms, established several initiatives and made bold modifications to change the trajectory of the sector.
According to the quarterly report (Q4 2025 — Q1 2026), Federal Ministry of Education on February 11, 2026, launched School Safety Portal in partnership with National Security for Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) to improve the security and safety of schools via a real-time tracking system for school safety. The platform currently has 15,000 schools registered and has received data on 141,000 geolocated schools from the FME’s d-nemis platform. Additionally, the FME is establishing a School Safety department to support the security framework and infrastructure of all schools in the country.
The minister issued a circular in December 2025, directing all TVET centres to procure and deploy biometric attendance systems for real-time monitoring. All fund disbursements to students and centres is now strictly processed through verified biometric attendance records. Since February 4th, 2026, Biometric Attendance Verification is enforced for all TVET centres.
On January 29th, this year, a MoU was facilitated by Alausa between the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and University of Birmingham, under Nigeria’s Transnational Education framework. It will offer postgraduate (50%) and undergraduate (50%) education in STEMM disciplines.
On January 27th, the ministry held its first National Teacher summit in Abuja and launched Edurevamp — a mobile-based professional development platform designed for Nigerian teachers. FME data shows 37,000 registered and 18,000 teachers to be fully enrolled on the platform. The platform aims to equip teachers with digital skills, structured learning and a supportive professional community environment to excel, and includes audio and video lessons, text-based learning, real classroom case studies and provides teachers with a national certification and CPD stipends.
The NHEF Summit on University Advancement and Collaboration was held on January 26th, 2026. The ministry partnered the Nigeria Higher Education Forum (NHEF) to support federal universities to establish advancement offices.
Dr. Alausa held a roundtable discussion with the CBN and VCs of Federal Universities on January 26th, 2026 to formally transition documentation, responsibility and ownership of CBN-supported intervention education projects, to the benefitting institutions to maintain institutional continuity, proper asset stewardship and long-term, value for public investment in education.
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Support Union (ASSU) on January 14th, 2026, reached a new agreement. It was effective from January 1, 2026. The agreement is subject to negotiation every three years and introduces key reforms such as: 40% upward review of academic emoluments, revised salary structure comprising of CONUASS and CATA, new Professional Cadre allowance for full time professors and readers and earned academic allowance. Similar agreements are also being drawn up for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
The Federal Government also partnered with the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) to provide scholarships to 3 million young Nigerians, particularly young girls (170,000) and students studying STEMM (1.02 million) and TVET (135,000) in federal institutions and colleges. The scholarship will cover tuition, learning materials, feeding, uniforms, and monthly stipends.
The government and Bank of Industry (BOI) on December 8th, 2025, launched a N50 million grant initiative to provide mentorship and capacity building opportunities to students in tertiary education. Over 30,639 registrations received since launch.
Following a successful launch, the ministry has so far disbursed N2.97 Billion in stipends to 160,000 young Nigerians and N4.6 billion to skills training centres/TVET centres enrolled on the programme.
The ministry has distributed 240 electric tricycles and 12 solar powered charging stations to 12 universities across each geopolitical zone to support student welfare, reduce campus transportation by 70%.
Alausa on November 27th, 2025, co-launched a national task force comprising of technical experts and relevant stakeholders, to oversee the development of a comprehensive National EdTech Strategy for Nigeria.
The minister on November 17th, 2025 visited Singapore to discuss a potential bilateral agreement involving technical schools in the two countries. The agreement due to be signed in Q1 2026, will focus on leadership training for 40 institutions, train-the trainer-programme focusing on assessment methodology and pedagogy; as well as the global excellence model for skills training programme, where TVET institutions across Nigeria will be assessed in 7 dimensions in TVET excellence.
The 69th National Council on Education (NCE) on November 7th, 2025 suspended usage and implementation of National Language Policy, affirming English as language of instruction.
The ministry on November 4th, 2025, unveiled the Federal Tertiary Institutions Governance Transparency Portal (FTIGTP) as a unified platform for tracking and analysing key performance and funding metrics across the Nigerian tertiary education institutions – universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. Current data shows that 47/67 Federal Universities, 35/39 Polytechnics and 25/30 colleges of education are to be onboarded on the portal.
Under its Education Public-Private (ePPP) Framework, the FME on October 23, 2025, partners UK Funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), telecommunication companies including MTN and Airtel to enhance professional development and teaching. The pilot will provide 8,000 teachers across each geopolitical zone with zero-rated internet access.
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Through Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), FME deployed over 1000 smart boards to Federal and State Basic Education schools nationwide on October 10, 2025. It was aimed at equipping teachers and students with future ready skills.
For the love of the girl-child, Alausa on October 2, 2025 accompanied First Lady to launch a N2.55 billion menstrual health campaign in Gombe. The campaign aims to deliver over 1 million pads to 370,000 girls from rural and underserved areas.
Stakeholders weigh in
The National President, Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Emmanuel Orji Kanu commended the minister and his team, including Prof. Said, for their tireless efforts to reform Nigeria’s education system.
Kanu said: “Their inclusive approach, engaging stakeholders across the board, is a breath of fresh air and yielding results. As an education stakeholder, I’m pleased to note that organisations like AFED and other low-cost private school associations are actively contributing to the Out-of-School Children initiative, showcasing collaborative progress.
“The recent launch of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TIVET) revamp efforts signals a strong commitment to technical education, addressing a long-standing cry from industry and educators alike. While it’s true that some of these efforts are still in their early stages and yet to fully manifest, and funding remains a perennial challenge, I believe the ministers’ dedication and the collaborative spirit driving these reforms are palpable and encouraging.
“These reforms are still unfolding, but the momentum is undeniable. I’m optimistic that with sustained focus, stakeholder support, and strategic resource mobilisation, we’ll see tangible improvements in Nigeria’s education landscape, ultimately benefiting our children and the nation’s future.”
To the National President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) Nigeria Chief ’Yomi Otubela, the quarterly report presented by the Minister of Education reflects a deliberate effort to reposition the education sector in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to him, the direction is ambitious and, in several respects, commendable.
“From the standpoint of equitable access and the education of vulnerable children, there are notable positives.
“The renewed focus on out-of-school children and the Almajiri system under the NESRI framework is timely. Nigeria continues to bear one of the highest burdens of out-of-school children globally, so placing this challenge within a structured six-point national agenda demonstrates clear intent. The School Safety initiative, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, is equally significant. Children cannot learn in fear. Security remains foundational to access and equity.
“The menstrual health intervention targeting girls in rural communities is another thoughtful step. When girls miss school because of natural biological cycles, equality in education becomes theoretical rather than practical. Removing such barriers reflects sensitivity to lived realities.
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“The digitisation drive, including smart boards in public schools and zero rated data access for teachers, has the potential to improve quality. However, careful attention must be paid to implementation so that these initiatives do not inadvertently widen the gap between urban and rural schools, or between public institutions and the low-cost private schools that serve millions of vulnerable families.
“Has the minister done well so far?
“In terms of policy articulation, visibility, and reform energy, yes. The ministry appears focused and reform-minded. The true test, however, will be the depth of implementation, sustainability of funding, institutional continuity, and whether these reforms ultimately reach the last child in the most disadvantaged community.
“As NAPPS, our position is clear. We welcome the reforms and acknowledge the progress made. At the same time, we strongly advocate inclusive implementation that fully recognises the indispensable role of affordable private schools in educating millions of vulnerable Nigerian children.
“Education equity in Nigeria cannot be achieved by the government alone. It requires a deliberately structured partnership with private school proprietors who are already carrying a significant share of the national responsibility.”
The Renewed Hope Academics Forum (RHAF) also commended President Tinubu, for his decisive, pragmatic, and statesmanlike intervention that has finally brought an end to the long-standing faceoff between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government.
In a statement issued on behalf of the Forum by Dr. Chidozie Atuonwu, the body recalled that for decades, recurrent industrial disputes between ASUU and successive administrations severely disrupted the Nigerian university system, undermined academic calendars, demoralised students and lecturers, and eroded public confidence in public tertiary education.
Atuonwu said: “The failure of past governments to address the root causes of these disputes left the sector in a perpetual cycle of strikes and instability.
“President Tinubu’s administration has demonstrated uncommon political will, sincerity of purpose, and deep understanding of the strategic importance of education to national development by engaging ASUU constructively, honouring agreements, and prioritising dialogue over confrontation. This bold approach has restored hope, stability, and confidence in the Nigerian university system.”
Expatiating, RHAF applauded the President for recognising academics as critical partners in nation-building rather than adversaries, and for adopting policies that reflect respect for intellectual labour, institutional autonomy, and sustainable funding of tertiary education.
“This milestone achievement aligns squarely with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration, which seeks to rebuild trust in public institutions, invest in human capital development, and secure Nigeria’s future through education, innovation, and knowledge-driven growth.
“We are confident that this resolution will usher in a new era of uninterrupted academic calendars, improved research output, enhanced global competitiveness of Nigerian universities, and renewed confidence among students, parents, and stakeholders.
“The Renewed Hope Academics Forum reaffirms its unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and calls on all stakeholders in the education sector to sustain dialogue, mutual trust, and cooperation in the collective interest of Nigeria.”
