Kabiru Haruna
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, met with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) to discuss strategies for improving the education sector.
The minister emphasized the government’s six-point agenda, which includes Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), out-of-school children initiatives, girl-child education, data and digitalization.
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These efforts are aimed at fostering quality education across Nigeria.
Dr. Alausa highlighted Nigeria’s demographic advantage, noting that with a population of over 200 million people—70% of whom are under 30 years old and 43% below 15 years—the country has a unique opportunity to drive growth through education.
He stressed the importance of a collaborative approach to quality assurance, ensuring that policies and programs are effectively implemented across all regions.
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The minister also emphasized the need for collective bargaining and equitable access to Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) resources to enhance inclusivity in educational projects.
He called for scholarships for PhD studies to be utilized in Nigerian universities rather than abroad, to strengthen local institutions.
Dr. Alausa reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to education, emphasizing its role in economic, social, and infrastructural development.
Dr. Tayo Aduloju, Chief Executive of the NESG, acknowledged Dr. Alausa’s familiarity with the group, having worked with them during his tenure as Minister of State for Health.
He described the NESG as Nigeria’s longest-running public dialogue platform, with over 30 years of engagement supported by the World Bank.
Dr. Aduloju outlined the summit’s key focus areas, including policy implementation, basic education, and addressing regional disparities in education through tailored solutions.
He further emphasized the need for collaboration in strengthening the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program by integrating skill development initiatives.
Both parties expressed their commitment to leveraging resources, partnerships, and policy reforms to drive sustainable improvements in the education sector.