New Education Minister Reverses 18-Year Admission Benchmark to 16 Years
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has commended the new Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for reversing the 18-year admission benchmark for tertiary institutions to 16 years. The decision was announced by the minister in his inaugural press conference, where he also hinted at a review of the National Policy on Education.
According to the minister, the 18-year benchmark was initially introduced because of the way the National Policy on Education was designed. The new approach, however, will focus on 16 years and will involve consultations with the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) and other stakeholders to ensure a more inclusive and effective education system.
The NUT National President, Dr. Mike Ike-Ene, expressed his approval of the new minister’s move, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in decision-making. He noted that the ministry must engage with all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and private institutions, to ensure that the new policy serves the interests of the entire nation.
The NUT also condemned the decision made by the previous minister of education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who had announced a ban on admissions for candidates under the age of 18 into tertiary institutions. According to the NUT, the original policy lacked proper consultation with parents and other key stakeholders, leading to strong criticisms from parents, teachers’ associations, and private institutions.
Meanwhile, the National President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Mr. Yomi Odubela, welcomed the new minister’s move, expressing hope that it would provide an opportunity to engage with key stakeholders to improve the country’s education system.
Government’s Goals and Initiatives
To address the issue of out-of-school children, the new minister has announced plans to work with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to introduce conditional cash transfer incentives for students. In addition, nutritional programs will be implemented to ensure students have adequate health to produce human capital development.
The minister also emphasized the importance of practical education, which he believes will help curb the unemployment problem by ending the practice of churning out graduates without jobs. He stated that universities of agriculture will be empowered to adopt mechanized farming to curb food insecurity and promote sustainability.
Furthermore, the minister promised to review the curriculum to focus on STEM and medical sciences, to enhance manpower development in these critical areas.
In his bid to promote peace and stability in tertiary institutions, the minister assured unions, including ASUU, NASU, SSANU, and ASUP, that he would work to create a new beginning, ending the recurring problem of strikes and lockouts. He urged the unions to give his government the benefit of the doubt and expressed his commitment to align the education system to meet the demands of the 21st century.
