From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The newly appointed Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has promised to reposition Nigeria’s education system, focusing on practical skills development to address the country’s rising unemployment rates.
Dr. Alausa outlined his vision on Tuesday in Abuja, during an interaction with journalists, where he revealed that the education system will undergo a major shift. Going forward, 80% of the curriculum will focus on practical training, while 20% will remain dedicated to theoretical classroom instruction. The Minister emphasized that this initiative is in line with the government’s commitment, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Agenda, to create a more effective and robust educational system.
Highlighting key areas of focus, Dr. Alausa stressed the importance of sciences, including technology, engineering, and mathematics, as the foundation for the nation’s educational reforms. He argued that practical education is the key to reducing unemployment, as many young graduates from tertiary institutions remain jobless each year. To support this, he assured that Colleges of Technical Education would receive enhanced resources and equipment, while Agricultural Universities would be empowered to embrace mechanized farming to help tackle the country’s food insecurity crisis.
One significant policy change announced by the Minister was the reversal of the 18-year age benchmark for university admissions. Dr. Alausa confirmed that students who meet the necessary qualifications, regardless of age, will now be able to gain admission to tertiary institutions.
The Minister also reiterated the federal government’s stance on tackling fake degree certificates, revealing that over 22,700 counterfeit degrees obtained by Nigerians from neighboring countries such as Togo and Benin Republic would not be recognized. This decision has been officially endorsed by the Federal Executive Council.
In addition to addressing issues of unemployment and educational standards, Dr. Alausa outlined plans to resolve ongoing challenges with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other education unions. He assured that the government would create a better working environment for university lecturers, including offering consultancy opportunities to improve the system.
Together with the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmed, Dr. Alausa pledged to work tirelessly to ensure the success of the Renewed Agenda, with a focus on civil education and better coordination with education stakeholders. He called for support from ministry staff and other partners to achieve the shared mission of educational reform in Nigeria.