A six-year ban on the creation of new postsecondary institutions was imposed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday.
Additionally, it reinstated the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education as an independent organization and recognized medical fellowships as being on par with PhD degrees.
These are a part of the Council-approved education sector changes.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, briefed reporters at the conclusion of the FEC meeting, stating that the moratorium on the creation of new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education was intended to enhance the caliber and sustainability of current postsecondary institutions, especially private universities.
He acknowledged that there is still a strong need for higher education, but he said that most universities are facing sustainability issues.
Access is difficult in the nation these days. There are many tertiary schools in our country, both public and private, but we must assist the private ones in becoming financially viable.
The minister used data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to bolster his claims, stating that while public universities had less than 228,000 open spots last year, over 2.3 million applicants applied for admission.
He said that the ban would free up the government to concentrate on bolstering current institutions and raising the standard of instruction throughout the system.
The minister reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to improving educational quality in Nigeria.
I am dedicated to guaranteeing that every child and citizen of this nation receives the best education available anywhere in the world.
Speaking about the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education’s full status restoration, he stated that the move is a component of the administration’s larger strategy to address Nigeria’s literacy issues and provide millions of people with digital and fundamental education skills.
“We asked the council for permission to return it to a commission in light of Mr. President’s ambitious plan to educate over 50 million young adults in the next two to three years and make them digitally literate, which Mr. President graciously approved.
“Approximately 56 million Nigerians lack literacy today. We cannot keep having a large percentage of uneducated population.
Additionally, the minister informed State House media that the FEC had approved changes to the National Postgraduate Medical College Act that would recognize medical fellowship credentials as being on par with PhD degrees.
According to him, the proposed modification is meant to help highly specialized medical professionals overcome obstacles in their careers.
He criticized the current system, which requires doctors to complete more than ten years of medical training, residency, and fellowship programs before becoming eligible for professorial positions in academic institutions.”
We need to harmonize that because these individuals in the medical field have more years of experience than the typical PhD candidate.
“The minister claims that the revisions will enable fellows of the National Postgraduate Medical College to have their credentials recognized as equivalent to a doctorate once the proposed Executive Bill is approved by the National Assembly.
Additionally, the Council authorized full insurance coverage for all 180 Federal Unity Schools around the nation.
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