By Funmilayo Adeyemi
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, says the success of President Bola Tinubu’s education reforms depends on stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and states, anchored on data-driven decision-making.
Alausa stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of a five-day Executive Retreat for Commissioners of Education, organised by the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education (COSCEN).
He said education remained the nation’s most potent instrument for economic growth, national security and sustainable development.
He added that President Tinubu had placed the sector at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda through bold and far-reaching reforms.
According to him, while the federal government provides policy direction and strategic interventions, states bear primary responsibility for delivering quality education, making stronger partnerships essential for sustainable reforms.
The minister commended COSCEN, led by its Chairman, Dr Lawal Olohungbebe, for convening the retreat, saying it was a timely platform for strategic leadership, peer learning and enhanced collaboration among education stakeholders.
Alausa said the federal government was replacing assumption-based planning with evidence-based governance through the deployment of the National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) and the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS).
He said the platforms would provide real-time data on school enrolment, teacher deployment, infrastructure and learning outcomes to improve planning, budgeting, monitoring and resource allocation.
“The integrated digital ecosystem will consolidate education data from schools, local governments, states and federal institutions into a single interoperable platform, improving accountability, transparency and service delivery,” he said.
The minister urged all states to complete their Annual School Census using the digitised platform, while commending Kaduna and Borno states for making significant progress.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Education had deployed digital dashboards and smart boards to strengthen evidence-based planning, with support from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Alausa also urged commissioners to maximise opportunities under the World Bank-supported HOPE Education Programme, which provides 552 million U.S. dollars in performance-based financing for eligible states.
He noted that although all 36 states qualified for the programme, several were yet to complete key requirements, including signing Subsidiary Loan Agreements, opening designated programme accounts and meeting mandatory data reporting obligations.
He urged state governments to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Education and the World Bank to unlock the funding for improved education governance, access and learning outcomes.
To sustain ongoing reforms, the minister proposed quarterly review meetings for commissioners to monitor progress, share best practices and strengthen accountability across states.
He said the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) was expanding access to affordable digital learning technologies, including offline instructional platforms, digital learning resources and teacher support tools.
Alausa also cautioned against excessive investment in expensive smart school infrastructure without adequate maintenance plans.
He emphasised that quality teaching materials, effective teacher support and conducive learning environments remained the key drivers of improved learning outcomes.
The minister reaffirmed that education was a shared national responsibility beyond political interests and called for sustained collaboration, stronger accountability and greater investment in human capital.
He urged commissioners to embrace evidence-based decision-making, policy continuity and collective action to improve Nigeria’s education sector.
In a keynote presentation titled, “Beyond the Tenure of Commissioners: Sustaining Education Reforms in the Era of Digital Disruption”, former Minister of Aviation, Mr Osita Chidoka, challenged commissioners to build reforms that would outlive political administrations.
Chidoka stressed the need for policy continuity, reliable education data, teacher development, accountability and sustained investment in learning outcomes.
Also speaking, the World Bank Country Director, Mr Matthew Verghis, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s education reforms.
Verghis was represented by Mr Shin Nomura, World Bank Senior Economist and Task Team Leader for the HOPE Education Programme.
He said the HOPE Education Programme, which became effective in March 2026, would strengthen education governance, financing, teacher development, learning outcomes and data systems through performance-based financing.
He urged states to complete all preparatory requirements to facilitate timely access to programme funds. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab