Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has defended a series of major reforms introduced by the Federal Government, describing them as part of a broad national effort to reposition education as the foundation of economic transformation, skills development and national competitiveness.
Speaking during a televised one-on-one interview monitored by Edugist, the Minister addressed a wide range of issues including the removal of UTME requirements for some tertiary programmes, the future of teacher education, out-of-school children, technical and vocational training, infrastructure funding, student migration, and government investments in research and innovation.
The interview comes amid growing national conversations around access to higher education, the quality of learning, teacher shortages, youth unemployment and the future direction of Nigeria’s education system.
According to the Minister, many of the recent reforms are driven by data and aimed at expanding access while aligning education more closely with national economic priorities.
Education is at the centerpiece of national development,” he said. “We are using education as the bedrock of building the next labour pool that will serve this country.
UTME Exemption for Colleges of Education and Some Agricultural Programmes
One of the biggest announcements from the interview was the Federal Government’s decision to exempt candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education from sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The exemption also applies to candidates pursuing non-technology agriculture and agriculture-related programmes in polytechnics and monotechnics.
The Minister explained that the move was not simply because of declining enrolment but part of a broader effort to remove barriers preventing young Nigerians from accessing tertiary education.
He cited government data showing low interest in Colleges of Education and some polytechnic programmes.
According to him:
- Nigeria currently has about 255 Colleges of Education.
- About 214 of them reportedly recorded fewer than 100 first-choice applicants.
- The country also has more than 770 polytechnics and monotechnics.
- Hundreds reportedly received fewer than 100 first-choice applications.
The Minister argued that maintaining restrictive admission structures in the face of such realities could worsen youth exclusion and deepen the country’s educational challenges.
“We have these schools, we have this infrastructure, but these young people do not want to go there,” he said.
Federal Colleges of Education Now Operating “Dual Mandate”
The Minister also highlighted what he described as one of the most transformative reforms in teacher education in recent years — the introduction of the “dual mandate” system for Federal Colleges of Education.
Under the arrangement:
- Students admitted into Colleges of Education can earn an NCE qualification after three years.
- Those who meet the required O’Level conditions can continue for an additional two years.
- At the end of five years, they graduate with both an NCE and a Bachelor of Education degree.
The Minister disclosed that the reform began in federal institutions last year and has already contributed to a significant increase in enrolment.
He said many state governments are also amending their laws to adopt the model.
According to him, the objective is not only to improve access but also to produce a stronger pool of highly qualified teachers.
AI, Engineering and Computer Science Introduced into Teacher Training
As part of broader curriculum reforms, the Minister revealed that Colleges of Education will now offer programmes such as:
- Artificial Intelligence and Education
- Computer Science and Education
- Engineering and Education
The programmes are expected to commence fully from the 2026 academic session.
The government says the move is aimed at modernising teacher preparation and ensuring graduates are equipped for both teaching and broader career opportunities.
“We are broadening opportunities while training highly qualified teachers,” the Minister said.
Admission Rules Relaxed to Expand Access
The Minister also defended earlier reforms to O’Level admission requirements.
According to him, the Federal Government reviewed some long-standing entry restrictions that had prevented qualified students from gaining admission into tertiary institutions.
He cited examples where candidates seeking admission into Law or Arts programmes were previously required to possess credits in Mathematics, while science candidates were required to have English credits regardless of course-specific realities.
Following adjustments to those requirements, the Minister said admissions increased substantially.
According to figures he shared:
- Nigeria historically admitted about 770,000 candidates yearly from over 2 million UTME applicants.
- After the reforms, admissions reportedly rose to about 1.1 million.
- The latest UTME exemptions could push admission numbers even higher.
The Minister argued that the country must focus on expanding access while maintaining quality assurance mechanisms.
University Admission Age Still 16
Addressing controversies around admission age, the Minister clarified that the official university admission age remains 16 years.
However, he stated that exceptionally gifted students below the age threshold may still be considered under stricter assessment procedures.
According to him, previous loopholes had been abused by some parents.
He disclosed that out of roughly 48,000 underage candidates reportedly presented as gifted students, only 87 eventually passed the required screening process.
“We Are Not About Policy Summersaults”
Responding to concerns about frequent policy changes in the education sector, the Minister rejected suggestions that the government was creating confusion.
Instead, he described the administration’s approach as implementation-focused.
“We are not about creating new policies. We are implementing policies,” he said.
He added that many of the recent decisions were based on data analysis rather than abstract policymaking.
Massive Push for Technical and Vocational Education
The interview also featured extensive discussion around Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which the Minister described as a major pillar of the government’s education strategy.
According to him:
- Federal technical colleges are now tuition-free.
- Students receive stipends.
- The Federal Government has adopted one technical college in each state and the FCT.
- About 160,000 Nigerians are reportedly currently undergoing training across roughly 1,200 centres.
The Minister said over 1.3 million Nigerians applied for the programme.
He added that the government has committed significant funding to support vocational education and skills development.
The administration’s broader goal, he explained, is to produce entrepreneurs and skilled workers rather than graduates dependent solely on white-collar employment.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programmes Introduced
The Minister also announced the rollout of entrepreneurship, innovation and business incubation initiatives across tertiary institutions.
Beginning with an initial cohort of universities, the programme is expected to integrate entrepreneurship training directly into students’ academic experience.
According to him, the intention is to help students develop enterprise and innovation skills before graduation.
Government Defends Infrastructure Spending
The Minister strongly defended the government’s infrastructure investments in education.
He disclosed that:
- 18 medical schools across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones reportedly received rehabilitation funding.
- Universities received support for laboratories, workshops and hostels.
- New simulation laboratories are being established.
- Billions of naira are being invested in engineering and technology laboratories.
- Additional funds are being allocated for student accommodation.
The Minister insisted that monitoring systems are in place to ensure accountability.
He explained that projects are subjected to multiple layers of oversight, including institutional monitoring, ministerial supervision and independent consultants.
He also referenced the development of digital monitoring dashboards for education projects.
Out-of-School Children: Government Disputes 18.3 Million Figure
One of the most contentious parts of the interview centered on Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.
The Minister challenged the widely cited figure of 18.3 million out-of-school children often referenced by UNICEF and other international organisations.
According to him, the Federal Government is conducting state-by-state data mapping exercises to establish more accurate numbers.
He revealed that:
- More than one million children have reportedly been returned to school in the last 30 months.
- Data mapping exercises are ongoing in multiple states.
- Kaduna State’s mapping exercise allegedly reduced estimated figures from 1.8 million to around 700,000.
Based on preliminary findings, the Minister claimed Nigeria may currently have fewer than eight million out-of-school children.
However, he acknowledged that the figure remains unacceptably high.
New School Feeding and Private School Partnership Plans
To address the out-of-school crisis, the Minister disclosed that the government is developing:
- Expanded school feeding programmes
- Partnerships with private schools to absorb vulnerable children
- Technology-driven monitoring systems
- Broader collaboration with state governments
According to him, the government intends to fund some private schools on a per-child basis to support enrolment expansion.
He also said discussions are ongoing around a broader national school feeding framework tied to enrolment and retention.
Collaboration with State Governments
The Minister acknowledged that basic education falls largely under the jurisdiction of state governments but insisted that stronger collaboration now exists between federal and subnational authorities.
He cited examples of infrastructure development and education expansion in states such as Borno, Lagos, Kaduna and Katsina.
According to him, many governors are increasing investments in school infrastructure, smart schools and mega education projects.
STEM and Knowledge Economy Vision
When asked about the administration’s long-term education vision, the Minister said the government’s focus is to transition Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy.
He identified STEMM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences — as a core priority.
The government, he said, is investing heavily in laboratories, engineering infrastructure and research support to strengthen these areas.
Government Claims “Japa” Trend Is Slowing
The Minister also responded to concerns about growing outbound student migration.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s high global student mobility figures, he argued that the trend is beginning to slow as confidence in Nigerian universities improves.
According to him, factors such as improved academic stability, infrastructure investments and reforms are helping to retain more students within the country.
He pointed to programmes such as JUPEB and increased demand for top Nigerian universities as signs of renewed confidence in local institutions.
Bilateral Education Scholarships Under Review
The Minister also defended the government’s decision to suspend aspects of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship scheme.
He described parts of the programme as financially inefficient and open to abuse.
According to him, some beneficiaries were being sponsored to study courses abroad that could already be studied effectively within Nigeria.
However, he assured that existing obligations to current scholarship beneficiaries would be honoured.
He disclosed that:
- About N4 billion has already been paid.
- Additional payments are expected in the coming weeks.
Growing Expectations for Delivery
The interview reflected the growing pressure on Nigeria’s education authorities to deliver measurable improvements across the sector.
While the Minister defended the administration’s record and insisted reforms are producing results, concerns remain around infrastructure gaps, learning quality, teacher shortages, funding sustainability and the persistent out-of-school children crisis.
Many of the reforms announced — particularly around admissions, teacher education and technical training — are likely to shape national debate in the coming months.
For stakeholders across the sector, the bigger question may now be whether implementation can match the scale of ambition being projected.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with unemployment, population growth, skills shortages and widening educational inequality, the effectiveness of these reforms could have long-term implications not only for schools and universities, but for the country’s broader social and economic future.