EDUCATION FOR CHANGE

OUR STEWARDSHIP IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS

BEING TEXT OF VALEDICTORY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE HON. MINISTER OF EDUCATION, ADAMU ADAMU

AND

THE HON. MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION, PROF. ANTHONY GOZIE ANWUKAH

Protocols

Honourable Ministers of the Government of the Federation

The Dean and Members of the Diplomatic Corps

Members of the National Assembly

Our Development Partners

Top Government Functionaries

Gentlemen of the Press

Ladies and gentlemen

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INTRODUCTION

I am profoundly delighted to welcome you all to this ministerial press briefing covering the last four
years of our stewardship in the education sector.

At the inception of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, (GCFR) in 2015, my humble self
(Adamu Adamu) and Prof. Gozie Anthony Anwukah had the privilege of being appointed as Minister and
Minister of State for Education respectively to pilot the affairs of the education sector. We came in with
a clear brief and definition of what the administration wanted to do for the sector. Based on this brief,
anchored on the change mantra, and after due consultations with critical stakeholders, we configured
our dreams in a blue print titled: “Education for Change” through which we rolled out a critical agenda
for the sector, anchored on ten (10) pillars as follows: -

(i). Out-of-School Children;

(ii). Youth and Adult Literacy;

(iii). Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical, Vocational Education
and Training (TVET);

(iv). Basic Education

(v). Teacher Education, Capacity Building and Professional Development;

(vi). Curriculum and Policy Matters;

(vii). Tertiary Education

(viii). Education Data and Planning;

(ix). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Education and

(x). Library Services in Education.

Ladies and gentlemen, guided by this blue print, we also drew up a Ministerial Strategic Plan (MSP) to
give direction to the implementation of the blueprint during the four year period of our administration.

In the last 4 years therefore, our policies, programmes and actions have been guided by the “Education
for Change” agenda and the Ministerial Strategic Plan (MSP).

This briefing which is an account of our achievements is, in essence anchored, on the ten pillars outlined
in our policy documents as follows;

i. THE OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN CHALLENGE

It is a sad commentary on the nation’s history that in the 21st century, Nigeria has one of the highest
numbers of out-of-school children in sub-Saharan Africa and is ranked only second to Pakistan in the
world. When this administration came into office in 2015, conflicting figures of Out -of -School children

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were being given, ranging from 10 -13 million. Reasons that have been adduced for this unfortunate
phenomenon include, though, not limited to the following: - financial incapacitation, violent conflicts,
ignorance on the part of parents/guardians, lack of political will to confront the ugly phenomenon,
socio-cultural complexities, distance to schools, physically challenged children and orphans, child labour
and migration. The most endemic states of this Out-of-School children phenomenon include: Kano,
Akwa-Ibom, Katsina, Kaduna, Taraba, Sokoto. Others are Yobe, Zamfara, Oyo, Benue Jigawa and Ebonyi.

In collaboration with many agencies, both local and international, such as the Universal Basic Education
Commission (UBEC), the World Bank (WB), United Nations International Children’s Education Fund
(UNICEF), and other development partners, we quickly ascertained that the most accurate or near
accurate figures of Nigeria children who are unfortunately not in school is 10. 193,918 million.

Having established this crucial fact, we set about tackling the issue. Our next task was evolving policies
and strategies to significantly reduce the number in the short and medium term and to completely
eradicate it in the long run. We immediately developed four strategic intervention programmes namely,
Special Education, Boy-Child Education, Girl-Child Education and Tsyangaya/Almajiri to focus on some
target groups which account largely for the out- of -school children problem.

Such groups include physically or mentally challenged children, the boy child in certain cultural groups
who are apprenticed so early in life that they are denied education; the girl child who also in certain
cultures is not given a chance to acquire formal education and children of nomads, itinerant workers and
others who do not have the stability in life to be schooled.

In terms of the provision of facilities to expand access and absorb more learners, the FME and its
partners have constructed and renovated 2,493 and 1, 266 classrooms respectively nationwide; have
built 2,457 VIP toilets and 19 laboratories in many schools cutting across states and geo-political zones.
Similarly, we have also sunk 91 boreholes and procured 192,985 pupils and 10,038 teachers’ furniture,

In 27 states of the federation where the Tsangaya/Almajiri system exists, we have disbursed grants to
169 of their proprietors and teachers. Another significant effort we have made to boost the Second
Chance Education opportunities is the construction of 60 Junior Model Girls Schools spread across the
country.

ii. YOUTH AND ADULT LITERACY

Equally disturbing is the fact that Nigeria has an estimated 60.5 million adult and youth illiterates,
representing 39% of the Nigerian population. Realizing the magnitude of the problem, the Federal
Government in ……….. established the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal
Education, with a mandate to eradicate adult illiteracy and offer second chance education programmes
for adults and youths, increase awareness on the importance of literacy as well as develop literacy
programmes with special attention to disadvantaged groups such as woman, rural dwellers and out-of-
school children, among others. In the last four years, we have stepped up sensitization and advocacy
visits as part of measures to revitalize the youth and adult literacy programme. We also took the
following steps to reduce youth and adult illiterate population: developed policies and strategies aimed

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at eradicating illiteracy in the country; networked with local and international stakeholders on relevant
programmes aimed at reducing illiteracy in the county.

We have also acquired thousands of motorcycles for the monitoring of Adult and Non-Formal Education
programmes in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as initiated the Rural
Facilitators Scheme (RFS) to handle challenges faced by facilitators in various states in terms of non-
payment or irregular payment of facilitators, inadequate number of facilitators, poor remuneration of
facilitators, etc. The scheme is also meant to ensure that we have qualified and motivated facilitators
in order to make the difference in running and managing our literacy centres.

In the first and second phases of our Rural Facilitators scheme, we engaged a total of 999 facilitators
nationwide to man the adult literacy programmes. In the third phase, we are proposing a total of 777
facilitators. The impact of the work of facilitators is already being felt especially in rural communities.
Over 50,000 illiterates can now read and write. This however is a far cry from our target of taking 2
million illiterates off that shelve annually.

We have also introduced the teaching of vocational skills within the Adult Literacy programmes as well
as the provision of reading glasses to old people.

Other notable things done to fulfill our goal in that direction is the establishment of literacy centres in
all the 104 Federal Unity Colleges as well as the development of advocacy messages in the 3 major
Nigerian languages and communication materials (print, radio and television) in support of the campaign
for mass literacy, adult and non-formal education programmes.

iii. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) AND TECHNICAL, VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET)

In the contemporary world, no nation can attain greatness without embracing Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Consequently, in developing our blueprint for the education sector, adequate attention was given to
issues bordering on STEM and TVET.

Some of the modest achievements we have recorded in this regard during the period under review
include: -

•Construction of 80 sets of modern prototypes Science, Mathematics and ICT laboratories and
technical workshops in Federal Government Colleges and selected secondary schools in the 36 states of
the federation and the FCT;

•Renovation of 300 dilapidated science laboratories and technical workshops in the Federal
Government Colleges.

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•Provision of modern science and technical equipment and ICT facilities in the 104 Federal Government
Colleges and selected secondary schools in the 36 States of the federation and FCT;

•Establishment and equipment of the National Institute of Technology in Abuja; a hub for TVET
education similar in concept and operation to the Nanyang Technological Institute, Singapore.

•We have also upgraded the existing Federal Science and Technical Colleges in the 21 states of the
federation to promote TVET education.

(iv).BASIC AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

When we came into office in 2015, the debate on whether or not Nigeria’s 104 Unity Colleges should be
sold was still raging. What this administration did was to clarify our stand not to sell the schools. Having
taken this position, we embarked upon the rehabilitation of Unity Schools in all the ramifications
required. We took critical decisions and practical steps in the following areas: -

Against the backdrop of insecurity in the North East region of the country, occasioned by Boko Haram,
as well as incidents of kidnapping in parts of the country, the Federal Government decided to provide
basic security facilities in all our Unity Schools. Among others, the Federal Government is providing
perimeter fencing in the schools that are yet to have one, CCTV cameras within the school premises,
street lights powered by solar systems and modern security gates. In the last four years, the Buhari
administration has spent a total of seven billion naira in the provision of security infrastructure in these
schools.

With regards to other areas of infrastructure, the 2019 budget of the Ministry has made significant
provision for the landscaping and rehabilitation of our Unity Schools. This is intended to give them a
facelift in order to make them more attractive and competitive. Additionally, the Ministry has embarked
on the construction and rehabilitation of hostels, classrooms, laboratories among others. I can
confidently say that our Unity Schools are fast regaining their lost glory away from the scrap they were
referred to before 2015 when many Nigerians called for their outright sale.

a. Access to Basic Education:

At the inception of this administration, we had issues relating to school fees and other arbitrary charges
that tended to inhibit access to our Unity Schools with some of them charging as high as N75,000 PTA
levy. What we did was to peg PTA levy at N5,000 across board and no more. I am happy to announce
that compliance has been total. Let me emphasize that if any parent observes anything to the contrary,
let such a one please bring such breach to the notice of the Ministry.

To give further financial relief to parents, we also cancelled the second entry examination into our Unity
Schools, which used to attract a minimum of N2, 000. Furthermore, let me use this opportunity to
inform Nigerians that the Federal Government has reviewed some of the charges in our Unity Schools.
Below are the new charges which represent a marginal reduction in fees and charges in our Schools: -

S/N TERM PREVIOUS FEES NEW FEES

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1. 1st Term (New students N83,000/78,000 N49,500

2. 1st Term – JS 2 N48,500 N48, 500

3. 1st Term – JS 3 N56,500 N56, 500

4. 1st Term SS 1 N65,000 N48, 500

5. 1st Term – SS 2 N46,500 N46, 500

6. 1st Term – SS 3 N69,500 N69, 500

7. 2nd Term all students N28,500 N28, 500

8. 3rd Term JS 3 N23,500 N23, 500

9. 3rd Term for SSI, JS, SSI, SS2 N28,500 N28, 500

10. 3rd Term for SS 3 N23,500 N23, 500

b. Insurance Cover:

Let me state from the onset that insurance cover for our Unity Schools has become the official policy of
the Federal Government.

Consequently, Government has engaged Insurance Underwriters and Brokers for the provision of the
following classes of Insurance: Comprehensive Fire and General Peril cover for buildings and content of
the 104 Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs); Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance Cover for the vehicles of the
104 Federal Unity Colleges and Student Welfare Insurance Scheme. Let me also use this opportunity to
call on the insurance companies involved, Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and Principals of Unity
Schools to take out time to explain this policy of government to all the parties concerned. It is painful to
see any student drop out of school due to the death of his/her sponsor.

On our part as government we shall continue to ensure that all insurance companies involved in this
scheme honour their obligations as and when due. Let me warn here that any insurance company that
fails to honour its obligations will be severely dealt with.

It is our expectation that this policy will lead to greater enrolment in our Unity Schools. By 2020, it is
expected that enrolment in our Unity Schools occasioned by this policy would have increased by at least
20%. Proactively, our 2020 budget has factored in an increase in the carrying capacity of some of the
Unity Schools that need expansion. This would be done by way of building annexes for some of these
schools or where space is not a problem within a school, building of more classrooms, laboratories,
hostels and other facilities required to take in more students.

These policies, coupled with improvements in infrastructural development, have led to an increase in
the number of applicants jostling for admission into our Unity Schools. The total number of applicants

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in 2014 stood at …………….. in 2018, this number rose to ……………...correspondingly, enrolment rose
from ………………. in 2014 to ……………….in 2018.

c. Quality Assurance:

In the area of quality assurance at the Basic Education level, we have achieved the following results:

•Monitoring of the implementation of School Self -Evaluation (SS-E) of 133 secondary schools in the six
geo-political zones.

•Analysis and production of Executive Summary of Evaluation Reports for 766 Schools including
vocational centres in the six geo-political zones.

•Evaluation of 692 Secondary schools including Vocational Centres in six geo-political zones

•Accreditation of 27 Secondary Schools in the six geo-political zones

•Follow – Through Evaluation of 86 Secondary Schools in the six geo-political zones

•The development of a manual on best practices and methods for teaching Entrepreneur and Trade
subjects for improved learning outcomes in Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria

•Identification of deficiencies in the teaching and learning of Entrepreneurial Subjects at Post Basic
levels in collaboration with the National Education Research and Development Council (NERDC).

Funding Basic Education:

Funding has been a major challenge at all levels of our educational system. Given the enormity of the
challenge, late last year, we decided to organize a conference on funding education in Nigeria. At the
level of basic education, we made the following proposals to government: -

Funding of Education in Nigeria can be better achieved through multi-stakeholder contributions,

including parents, organized and non-formal private sectors and government with regards to the fact
that education is partly public and private good, proprietors and students should proportionately share
costs;

There should be increase in education budget, (minimum of 15% of GDP);

Education Trust/Endowment funds should be established for both basic and secondary levels of
education (from alumni, diaspora, private sector, etc);

States should introduce Basic Education tax to facilitate basic education delivery in their respective
states;

The full implementation of the suggested 0.5% of Consolidated Revenue for STEM and TVET;

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Innovative sources of funding such as deducting N5.00 from every N100.00 mobile phone recharge
cards, cable network and social network data recharges through Nigeria Communication Commission
and

Increase of FGN-CRF UBE implementation from 20% to 40% and expansion in number of companies
that should contribute to this fund.

Despite the funding challenges, the Education sector got the following allocations in the last four years: -
N483.2b in 2015, N480.3b in 2016, N455.8b in 2017 and N651.2b in 2018. The sector got the highest
allocation in 2018. Put together, the Buhari Administration allocated the sum of N2.07trillion to the
education sector. However, actual total capital releases from the federal account covering the main
Ministry and parastatals, polytechnics, colleges of education, universities and Unity Colleges stood at
N86,050,806,999.00 This is aside from the TETFund, UBEC and NEEDS Assessment interventions which
figures I have mentioned earlier.

At the level of intervention in basic education across the country in the last four years of the Buhari
administration, I am happy to report that federal government funding has increased significantly despite
low earnings from oil.

In 2015, matching and non-conditional grant disbursements to 15 states of the federation and the FCT
amounted to N68.4 billion. In 2016, grant disbursement to 29 states and FCT was about N77 billion
naira. In 2017, the federal government provided a total of N95 billion naira to 24 states and FCT and
another N109 billion in 2018 to 20 states.

The disbursement over the four years amounted to N350 billion including matching grant, education
imbalance fund, special educational fund, good performance fund, instructional materials fund, teacher
professional development fund and UBEC implementation and monitoring fund across geo-political
zones.

Highlight of projects implemented across the geopolitical zones during the period under review are as
follows:

In the North East, we have Kelele Primary School, Song LGA, Adamawa State; Kobi Primary School,
Bauchi; GRA/Wulari Primary School, Maiduguri and Vocational Training Centre (JSS) Kashere, Gombe
State.

In the North West, we have Rijiyar Lemo Junior Secondary School, Fage and Dan Dogo Special Primary
School, Kano state; Sheik Gumi Primary school, Tudun Wada, Kaduna state; Garba Kaita Primary School
Katsina and Magajin Rafi Primary School, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state;

In the North Central, we have Igea Goa Akunbi Primary School and ShubauIgea Primary School, Ilorin,
Kwara state; Central Primary School, Vandeikya and Central Primary School, Igumale Ado, Benue
state; St. Joseph Primary School, Itedo Makuta and Isanlu Yagba-East LG and Pemo Primary School,
NagaziUvete, Adavi LG, all in Kogi state; Central Primary School, Kafin Koro, Paiko LG, Niger State;
NERDC Sheda Primary School, Kwali, and Karmajiji Primary School, Airport Road, FCT

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In the South West, we have Afolabi Primary School, Brown Street, Oshodi, Lagos; St. Francis Isale Aro
Osogbo, Osun State.

In the South East, we have Urban School 1, Owerri Municipal, Imo State; Odaota Central Primary School
Ihiala LG, Anambra State, and Ummuna Community Primary School Amorkwe Ishiagu, Ebonyi state

In the South South, we have St. Patrick’s Primary School, Ikot-Out-Ibiot Odukpani, Calabar and

-Northern Ikono Community Secondary School, Ikot Odung Ikono, Uyo LG, Akwa Ibom State.

It is interesting to note that the federal government interventions in basic education under the Buhari
administration amounted to N350 billion naira.

Let me also mention that corruption and lack of political will have been responsible for most states’
inability to provide counterpart fund to enable them access the matching grant provided by the Federal
Government.

Having come to this painful conclusion, the federal government has therefore decided to deduct from
source, part of the last tranche of the Paris Club refund from all the states that have not been able to
access their monies from UBEC.

If this attitude of deliberate refusal on the part of states to provide counterpart funding for basic
education continues, then the federal government will have no choice than to sustain its strategy of
deducting counterpart funding of states percentage from source. It is expected that in a short while,
states will commence accessing their matching grants.

(vi). TEACHER EDUCATION, CAPACITY BUILDING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This administration identified poor quality of teachers as a critical factor militating against quality
education delivery in the country. In order to address this challenge, the issue of Teacher Education has
been included as one of the 10 pillars of the MSP.

The pillar is designed among other things, to achieve teacher professional development in terms of
registration, training and certification. During the four-year period, the Federal Ministry of Education
through the Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria registered a total of 1.8 million teachers. Out of this
number, 780,000 have successfully gone through the process of licensing

It is important to emphasize that the National Minimum qualification for teaching at the basic and
secondary level is the National Certificate of Education (NCE). Let me state here for the umpteenth time
that by December 31st 2019 any teacher who does no possess the minimum teaching qualification will
have no business in the classroom.

Beside teachers’ registration, we have also;

 Strengthened the implementation of teacher education by reviewing the Quality

Assurance/monitoring instruments in line with global best practice.

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 Engaged independent Quality Assurance teams and stakeholders in monitoring of all academic
activities.

 Conducted nationwide capacity building workshops for 100,000 teachers at Basic and Post Basic
levels through the support of SDGs in the following areas; Basic Classroom Management, Information
and Communication Technology, Basic Teaching Methodologies and Language Communication skills,
Digital literacy, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SENDs), and Strengthened the Teaching of
Mathematics and Science Education under the Strengthening Mathematics and Science
Education(SMASE) project

 Equipped new and serving teachers with skills that will make them globally competitive

 Collaborated with state Governments in conducting capacity building workshops and orientation
for teachers to further introduce them to modern methods of instructions.

 Developed and installed software based on the latest technology to fast track examination and
result processing.

It is also important at this juncture to let you know that at the moment………….number of universities are
running education faculties with a combined carrying capacity of ………….. students while the Colleges of
Education and National Teachers Institute (NTI) have a carrying capacity of …………students. In order
words, the Nigerian educational system, has the capacity to produce………….number of teachers per
annum for basic and secondary education.

(vii). TERTIARY EDUCATION

As you are all aware, funding has been one of the major challenges of tertiary education in this country.
However, the Federal Government through the instrumentality of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund
(TETFUND) allocated a total of N727,225,862,128.86 worth of investment in critical areas of
infrastructural development in our tertiary institutions, especially in physical infrastructure, project
maintenance, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) support, Entrepreneurship, Library
development, special high impact projects, Academic Staff Development, and Research among others.

Out of the above stated amount, the sum of Two hundred and Six billion, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two
million, three hundred and ninety-Three thousand, Eight Hundred naira (N206,562,393,800.00) went to
the public universities during the period under review while the polytechnics got a share of One
Hundred and Three billion, One hundred and Seventy-Three million, Three hundred and Seventeen
Thousand, One Hundred and Eight naira (N103,173,317,108.00). The state universities on their own part
got a total allocation of Seventy-Four Billion, Six Hundred and Twenty Million, Four Hundred and Sixteen
Thousand, Nine Hundred naira (N74, 620,416,900).

As for the Colleges of Education, their own share their own share stood at One Hundred and One Billion,
Six Hundred and Thirty-One Million, Three Hundred and Four Thousand, Five Hundred Naira
(N101,631,304,500).

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Increasing Access To and Improving The Quality Of Tertiary Education In Nigeria. Access to quality
education has been a major challenge to our people over the years. Apart from many other factors
militating against the legitimate desire of our people to quality education, the astronomical increase in
the country’s population, now estimated at 180 million people, has further aggravated matters.

Consequently, this administration has focused on developing infrastructure in tertiary institutions,

establishing/licensing new tertiary institutions, increasing the carrying capacities of existing tertiary
institutions, scholarship awards to deserving students as well as reduction of fees and levies for entry
examinations into tertiary institutions, all aimed at increasing access to tertiary education for our
teeming population.

In line with efforts aimed at addressing the persistent problem of access to university education,
occasioned by the low carrying capacity of existing universities as against the growing number of
qualified candidates, the Federal Government during the period under review, established/licensed a
total of 30 universities,(confirm if there any update) bringing the total number of universities in
Nigeria to one hundred and sixty-nine. These comprise 43 Federal Universities, 47 State Universities
and 79 Private Universities, with the combined carrying capacity of about two million space as against
the 1.5 million carrying capacity we inherited when we came in 2015.

Just as efforts were made to expand access to university education similar attention was paid to create
access to polytechnics/monotechnics and Innovation Enterprise Institutions: - As you are aware, this
category of institutions was established to provide middle-level technical manpower, which is still in
very high demand in the country. When we came into office in 2015, the total number of
polytechnics/monotechnics and Innovative Enterprise Institutions in the county stood at 298, with a
combined carrying capacity of 424,715. To expand access to Polytechnic/Monotechnics/Innovative
Enterprise Institutions, we established or licensed a total of 71 such institutions during the period under
review, with a carrying capacity of 93,228. Access to such institutions has therefore increased from
424,715 in 2014 to 517,943 in 2019.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I presented operational licenses to another set of 66 approved private
Polytechnics, Monotechnics, Colleges of Health Sciences and Technology and Innovation Enterprise
Institutions (IEIs). The exercise witnessed the presentation of certificates to 18 Private Polytechnics, 2
Private Monotechnics, 4 Colleges of Health Science and Technology, 32 Innovation Enterprise
Institutions and 8 Vocational Enterprise Institutions. This will certainly add to greater carrying capacity,
just as it will ease access to that level of the education sub sector.

In the Colleges of Education sub sector we inherited a total of one hundred and forty-seven (147) NCE
awarding institutions with a combined carrying capacity of three hundred and eighty-five thousand, two
hundred and forty (385,240). In the last four years, we have granted approval to twenty-seven (27) new
NCE awarding institutions across the six geopolitical zones, with a combined carrying capacity of sixty
thousand, two hundred (60,200). I am glad to report that we have increased the total number of NCE

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awarding institutions from 147 to 174, while also increasing the carrying capacity from 385,240 to
445,440 during the period under review.

In the three categories of tertiary education, namely, university, polytechnic and colleges of education,
we met a total carrying capacity of 2,309,955. During the life span of our administration, we have
increased the carrying capacity to 653,428 for tertiary education. Let me reiterate that over 30% of
total carrying capacity of some of our private tertiary institutions has not been utilized. This is largely
due to high school fees. May I appeal to the operators of private tertiary institutions to reduce their
school fees for optimum capacity utilization. In this way, they will be benefiting from economies of scale
rather than continue to insist on exorbitant school fees which is obviously not paying off.

iii. Scholarship Awards: -On scholarship awards, as a way of facilitating access, this administration has
spent a total of N15 billion in the past four years. Apart, from promoting excellence in academic pursuit,
the scholarship scheme is also targeted at the poor, who, though, academically sound, may not be able
to afford fees. The scholarship scheme guarantees this category of students’ access.

iv. Fees and Levies: - When Prof. Anthony Gozie Anwukah and I became Ministers, we noticed that a
number of fees and levies at the secondary school level have constituted major impediments to access
to tertiary education. Some of these fees and levies include; Post UTME fees that rose to as much as
N15,000. In some universities, JAMB, NECO and WAEC fees also rose astronomically. At some point,
many State Governments had to take over the payment of these fees to enable their students register
for these exams. Today, you all can testify that we have reduced Post UTME from N15,000 to N2,000,
JAMB from N5,000 to N3,000, NECO from N11,500 to N9,850 and the basic education certificate handled
by NECO from N5,500 to N4,000. Let me emphasize that it is important for stakeholders to abide by
these charges as stipulated.

Apart from representing a show of transparency, accountability and prudent management of resources,
these reductions will no doubt alleviate the financial burden on parents and increase access for those
who may not have been able to afford the charges if they had remained unchanged.

One of the fundamental factors that led to the reductions in some of these fees and levies is the
uncommon show of prudence, transparency and accountability by some agencies of the Ministry
especially the Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
During the period under review, JAMB increased the number of Computer Based Test (CBT) centres
from 394 to 642 centres nationwide, introduced CCTV cameras at its centres, increased the capacity of
its centres from 120 to 250,000 candidates, combined e-Brochure and e-Syllabus into one electronic
document and reduced the cost of the CD from N480 to N80 only. JAMB also introduced CBT Mock
examination to prepare candidates for the main examination based on new technologies and ownership
of all infrastructure used for JAMB examinations and processes have been accomplished. JAMB has also
migrated its connectivity network from very small aperture terminals (VSAT) to TELCO, thereby
increasing efficiency and saving over N1bn in the process.

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Over the last four years, JAMB has remitted over twenty billion of operating surplus to the Federation
Account. This is even as the Board renegotiated contract with service providers regarding the
registration exercise from N650 to N200 per candidate. The Board also recovered funds and properties
worth N1.5bn, renegotiated Bank charges from N500 to N300 to further reduce the cost of Bank services
associated with candidates forms as well as renegotiated the cost of managing CBT centres. JAMB has
also reduced the cost of registration fee for foreign candidates from $200 to $20. JAMB is now
conducting its exams for bling and other special candidates as well as Prison inmates. The introduction
of a Central Administrative Processing System and reduction in cost of admission processes, have
increased access to tertiary institutions, thereby creating a level playing field for all stakeholders. JAMB,
indeed Prof. Oloyede, stands out as the most efficient, prudent and transparent agency in the education
sector. (Can Prof. Oloyede stand for a special recognition – just as he receives a Ministerial handshake).
I make bold to recommend Prof. Oloyede for a Presidential handshake at the appropriate time.

Improving the Quality of Tertiary Education

Quality education remains the major focus of the Ministry. The National Universities Commission (NUC),
the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the National Board for Technical
Education (NBTE) have been carrying out regular accreditation exercises aimed at streamlining as well as
infusing quality assurance in universities, colleges of education and polytechnics respectively. The e-
curriculum for undergraduates has already been launched, while the post-graduate programme is being
streamlined.

-High Profile Training: - During the period under review, we intensified high profile training for personnel
of tertiary institutions across the country through the instrumentality of the Tertiary Education Trust
Fund. Emphasis has been placed on Doctorate and Master’s degrees in the scholarship awards for
academic staff, conferences, teaching practice, supervision and research support services.

i. Doctorate And Masters Programmes: - A breakdown of the training expenditure profile shows that
Government has spent a total of seventy-eight billion, two hundred and sixty-eight million, one hundred
and twenty-three thousand, four hundred and six naira ninety-two kobo (N78,268,123,406.92) for the
sponsorship of 15,217 Masters and Doctorate trainings across varsities, polytechnics and colleges of
education.

ii. Conferences: - The Federal Government sponsored lecturers across varsities, polytechnics and
colleges of education at home and abroad to a total of 43,222 conferences, incurring a total expenditure
profile of twenty-one billion, two hundred and twenty-one million, two hundred and thirty-two
thousand, four hundred and three naira (N21,221,232,403) only.

iii. Teaching Practice Supervisors: - For this category of training, Government has committed two billion,
five hundred and sixty-nine million, eight hundred and sixty thousand, seven hundred naira
(N2,569,860,700.00) only for 41,988 teaching practice supervisors.

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iv. Institutional Based Research Support Services: - Government intervention in this regard amounted to
seven billion, five hundred and ninety-three million, five hundred and thirty-two thousand, one hundred
and fifty-four-naira, twenty-two kobo (N7,593,532,154.22).

v. Academic Research Journals: - This class of research got intervention amounting to one hundred and
seventy-eight million, three hundred and sixteen thousand, fifty-one-naira twenty-four kobo
(N178,316,051.24).

On the whole, Government investment in capacity building (Manpower development) in tertiary

institutions under the Buhari administration from TETFund alone amounts to one hundred and nine
billion, seven hundred and ninety-one million, sixty-four thousand, seven hundred and fifteen-naira
thirty-eight kobo (N109,791,064,715.38).

Government through the instrumentality of TETFund has invested a total of seven hundred and twenty-
seven billion, two hundred and twenty-five million, eight hundred and sixty-two thousand, one hundred
and twenty-eight naira eighty six kobo. Put together, infrastructural development and capacity building
from TETFund alone has cost the federal government a total of eight hundred and thirty-seven billion,
sixteen million, nine hundred and twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and forty-four-naira twenty-four
kobo (N837,016,926,844.24). This is aimed at improving the quality of service delivery in the sector at
that level. We have also increased the number of beneficiary institutions accessing these interventions
to keep pace with newly established tertiary institutions. Project monitoring has also been stepped up
to ensure quality delivery. All these are aimed at ensuring qualitative education at tertiary levels.

VISITATION PANEL (Tertiary TO PROVIDE MATERIALS)

Visitation panels by their nature are supposed to do the following: -

1.

2.

3. etc

They also have a lifespan of ………………. The last Visitation panels of Universities expired…………….. while
that of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education expired in ………………. and ……………….respectively.
Considering the fact that the nation went into recession between 2015 and 2017, the economy could
not support the reconstitution of Visitation panels. However, now that we have come out of recession,
and some levels of improvement been recorded in the economy, the government has decided to
reconstitute Visitation panels as follows: -

1.

2.

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3.

4.

(vii). CURRICULUM AND POLICY MATTERS;

The Administration inherited a raging national controversy about the issue of Christian Religious
Knowledge and Islamic Religious Knowledge (CRK/IRK) being subsumed under Civic Education by the
previous administrations. However, we quickly took a decision that religious studies were very crucial to
the moral development of our children. Consequently, we directed the National Education Research and
Development Council (NERDC) to begin the process of making these subjects stand alone.

Happily, CRK and IRK have now returned as separate subjects. JAMB, NECO and WAEC have also
reflected this development in their examinations. In the same vein taking cognizance of the importance
of history, we directed the disarticulation of history from social studies at the basic education level, as
the subject allows us to understand our past and our present times. Curriculum had been developed
accordingly and the study of history as a subject has commenced in earnest in schools across the
country.

Furthermore, I wish to state that the Federal Government, through the NERDC has also conducted
baseline survey on the implementation of the 34 trades and entrepreneurship curriculum in the North
East Geo political Zones. It also carried out monitoring of implementation of the trades and
entrepreneurship curricula in senior secondary schools in Nigeria as well as Impact Assessment of basic
education curriculum implementation.

National Policy On Counseling

One of the things we discovered on assumption of office was that counseling, as important as it is, had
no policy direction. Indeed, we felt it was somewhat shameful that in almost 60 years of counseling
services in various educational institutions in Nigeria, there was no national policy guiding its activities.

We discovered specifically that the lack of a well-coordinated and consistent counseling practice in our
basic and secondary schools had contributed in no small measure to the number of out-of-school
children, reduction in completion rates, increase in the rate of anti-social behaviours in schools and
other vices militating against the development of our school children into responsible members of the
society.

Recognizing the important role counseling plays in the moral development and academic performance
of learners in schools, the Ministry under our watch decided to design and streamline the duties of
counselors and define their relationship with other school personnel in counseling practice by
developing the National Policy on Counseling

This has helped to entrench a regime of international best practices and clarify all areas of possible
conflict and misconception in the practice of counseling in Nigeria. We believe that a faithful

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implementation of the National Policy on Counselling would help in addressing the problems of truancy,
cultism, examination malpractice, drug abuse and sexual harassment which have been on the rise
coupled with the general decline in parental care.

(viii). EDUCATION DATA AND PLANNING;

The importance of data to effective educational or other aspects of national planning cannot be over
emphasized. It was for this reason that one of the 10 pillars was dedicated to Education Data and
Planning. Specifically, this administration recorded the following achievements during the period under
review.

In the past four years, well targeted efforts have been made to acquire and integrate statistics for
planning.

The 2015/2016 Nigeria Digest of Education statistics and the Nigeria Education Indicator were launched
and disseminated to all stakeholders and that of 2016/2017 Annual School Census was processed and
harmonized with other statistics to produce 2017/2018 Nigeria Digest of Education Statistics data.
Similarly, in collaboration with UNICEF, we also printed a total of 45,000 Annual School Census manual
and distributed to 27 states of the federation.

In furtherance of the goal of building a reliable data, a total of 37,000 head teachers and principals in 34
states and the FCT were at various times trained in school record keeping. This was also done in
collaboration with UNICEF.

In our 2019 budget, we have a very important project, to come up with an Education Information Data
Management Template in which all Education Data will be inputted. It is expected that with this, at the
touch of a button, anybody can get whatever education data he or she needs. The importance of
Education Data to effective planning cannot be over emphasized. It was for this reason that one of the
10 pillars was dedicated to Education Data and Planning. Specifically, this administration recorded the
following achievements during the period under review.

•2015/2016 Nigeria Digest of Education statistics and the Nigeria Education Indicator were launched and
disseminated to all stakeholders;

•2016/2017 Annual School Census was processed and harmonized with other statistics to produce
2017/2018 Nigeria Digest of Education Statistics data

•In collaboration with UNICEF, we also printed a total of 45,000 Annual School Census manual and
distributed to 27 states of the federation.

•A total of 37,000 head teachers and principals were trained in school record keeping of filling of Annual
School census instruments in 34 states and FCT. This was also done in collaboration with UNICEF.

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In our 2019 budget, we have a very important project, to come up with an Education Information Data
Management Template in which all Education Data will be inputted. At the touch of a button anybody
can get whatever education data he or she needs.

(iv). LIBRARY SERVICES IN EDUCATION

At the inception of this administration, we inherited an “abandoned” National Library project. You may
be aware that the project was awarded in 2006 at a total cost of N8 billion. By 2013, the project cost
was reviewed upward to N18 billion. Work was however stopped by the end of 2013 due to poor-
funding. When this administration came into power, the contractor submitted a new bill of N78 billion
to complete the project. We set up a committee to evaluate the project. This committee has submitted
a bill of N50 billion. We have forwarded the report to the Bureau of Public Procurement for further
appraisal. The recommendation of the BPP will be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for
consideration. While we await these processes to be completed, we are pursuing alternative sources of
funding especially from special intervention funding windows. It is important to state that the rising
cost of the project is due largely to exchange rate fluctuations, necessary upgrades and modernization
among other variables.

Away from the National Library Headquarters, may I inform you that the National Library of Nigeria
(NLN) is required by its enabling Act to have presence in all states of the Federation? To fulfill this
mandate, the NLN has been expanding its branches across the country as well as rehabilitating existing
ones. Contracts for the renovation of the Lagos, Benue, Nasarawa, Imo, Adamawa, and Plateau
branches have been awarded while others will come on stream in 2020.

The renovation goes beyond replacing leaking roofs and painting walls. The exercise will involve
providing reading spaces for children to promote a sound reading culture among school pupils, ensuring
stable electricity supply, clean toilets and running water at all times. New branches are to be
established in Delta, Anambra, Ekiti, Kebbi, Kogi and Jigawa states. We have completed permanent
branch buildings in Gombe and Katsina states.

We are also in the process of providing free internet access for our library users, beginning with Lagos,
Abuja and Enugu branches. We have requested Galaxy Backbone to increase our Internet bandwidth in
these branches and the process is ongoing. We are also expanding, completing and renovating e-
libraries in all our Unity Schools and each school will get qualified librarians to manage the learning
resources.

We are also working with state governments and other relevant stakeholders to develop a public library
policy for the country.

At the level of regulation, the Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria has successfully crafted the
necessary instrument needed to regulate the Nigerian Library and Information Science sector. It has
also developed a strategic plan which it reviews from time to time to make it responsive to the needs of
the sector. The council has also been conducting induction of qualified librarians every year. As I speak,

17
the total number of certified librarians in Nigeria stands at five thousand, eight hundred and twenty-
nine (5,829).

The Council has also developed Guidelines and Standards for different categories of libraries including
the academic libraries. These standards are effective tools for regulating the library sector. Before now,
there were no standards in place guiding the setting up and running of libraries effectively. A chapter of
the Guidelines and Standards for academic libraries addressed issues relating to the deployment of
Information and Communication Technologies in the libraries.

The tertiary institutions are expected to deploy functional e-libraries and embrace e-books. It is our firm
belief that e-libraries and e-books will flush away sales of handouts in the school systems. For instance,
library apps on mobile phones held by students will be more cost effective.

(x). INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IN EDUCATION

Government has completed the review of the National Policy on Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) in Education.

Sequel to this, remarkable advances have been recorded in the integration of ICT in the education
curriculum and the blue print leveraging ICT to enhance access and improve quality of teaching and
learning. Nigeria is partnering with national and international key players in the sector and has signed
Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Oracle, Cisco and other ICT companies to leverage the
possibilities offered by ICT.

Government is convinced that there exists a nexus between attaining excellence and global
competitiveness in education and the development of ICT potential in our economy. Efforts shall be
intensified to promote and sustain the realization of these objectives.

In the period under review, the following were also carried out:

i. Provision of 100 computer hardware and accessories for FME HQ;

ii. Establishment of FME Data Centre;

iii. Provision of 420 mobile tablets, 334 laptops through SDGs for seventeen Federal Government
Colleges and 1,800 laptops to 50 Federal Government Colleges through PPP intervention;

iv. Provision of internet access to 104 Federal Government Colleges through Galaxy Backbone;

v. Development of FME website and portals for NEMIS, Federal Scholarship Board and Federal
Government Colleges;

vi. Training of 1,000 staff of FME headquarters and Federal Government Colleges on professional
ICT training and ICT skills acquisition programme;

vii. Signing of MOU for the establishment of Oracle Academics in 10,000 schools and training of 1.5
million students.

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viii. Rehabilitation of 750 classes, installation of 2,500 bulbs and 1,500 fans in the 23 Unity Schools
across the 6 geopolitical zones to enhance their learning environment to the tone of N55,000,000.00
through Skool Media.

ix. Creation of 31 technology experience centres in 23 unity schools across the 6 geopolitical zones
to inspire innovation and creativity among teachers and learners and serve as gateway to accessing new
digital skills for global competitiveness at the cost of N165,000,000.00 through Skool Media.

x. Digitalization of 267 classrooms in 23 unity schools across the 6 geopolitical zones for effective
student-teacher collaboration and enhancement of teaching/learning outcomes to the tune of N40,
000,000.00 through Skool Media.

xi. Deployment of 800 laptops and projectors to the tune of N96,000,000.00 to the classrooms to
make the learning more attractive and engaging in 23 Unity Schools across the 6 geopolitical zones in
Nigeria through Skool Media.

xii. Training and retraining of over 3,000 teachers in unity schools across the 6 geopolitical zones in
Nigeria at the cost of N2, 850,000.00 through Skool Media.

xiii. Continuous learning support to 40,000 students of 23 Unity Schools across the 6 geo-political
zones. Monthly running cost of N2, 541,689.71 through Skool Media.

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