The Federal Government has intensified efforts to address Nigeria’s out-of-school children challenge by activating completed but non-operational Smart, Bilingual, and Alternative Schools nationwide, while also setting up a ministerial implementation and monitoring committee to ensure the facilities are put to immediate use.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Tuesday, explaining that the initiative is aimed at ensuring that school projects delivered by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) are not left idle but are fully converted into functional learning centres for children, especially those excluded from formal education.
The intervention forms part of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on expanding access to quality basic education and improving learning outcomes by ensuring that investments in education infrastructure translate into actual classroom teaching.
Alausa stressed that the government would no longer accept situations where completed school projects remain unused or fail to serve their intended purpose.
“Infrastructure alone does not educate a child. A completed building without pupils is simply an empty structure. A furnished classroom without teachers remains an idle investment,” he said.
He explained that although UBEC has invested heavily in Smart, Bilingual and Alternative Schools to widen access to basic education, implementation gaps have prevented many of these projects from becoming fully operational.
According to him, the newly inaugurated committee will oversee the transition of these schools from completed structures into active learning institutions through the completion of outstanding works, formal handover processes, staffing, student enrolment, and continuous monitoring.
“Every day a completed school remains locked represents lost opportunities for thousands of Nigerian children,” he added.
Alausa further stated that the success of the committee would not be judged by paperwork but by the number of schools actively teaching children.
“Success will not be measured by the number of reports submitted, but by how many schools are actually teaching Nigerian children.”
Under the initiative, the committee will work with state governments, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that schools are properly equipped with furniture, learning materials, and essential utilities such as electricity, water supply, and internet connectivity. It will also coordinate teacher deployment and student enrolment.
The Smart Schools programme was introduced by UBEC to modernise basic education through technology-driven learning. These schools are equipped with digital classrooms, internet facilities, interactive tools, and resources aimed at strengthening science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education while promoting digital literacy.
UBEC also developed Bilingual Schools to enhance learning through multilingual instruction and promote national integration, while Alternative Schools were created to provide flexible education pathways for out-of-school children, girls, street-connected children, and other vulnerable groups who cannot access conventional schooling.
Despite these investments, many facilities remain underutilised due to delayed handover processes, inadequate staffing, and slow operational rollout in several states.
The minister described the situation as unacceptable, insisting that public spending on education must produce measurable results.
“Every classroom will count. Every school will function. Every investment will deliver value,” he said.
Nigeria continues to record one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children globally, with millions—particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas—still unable to access formal education. Education experts have consistently maintained that solving the crisis requires not only building schools but ensuring that completed facilities are fully functional, well-staffed, and accessible to learners.
The Federal Government expressed confidence that activating Smart, Bilingual, and Alternative Schools will expand learning opportunities for vulnerable children, improve access to quality basic education nationwide, and strengthen accountability in public education investments.
The minister directed the committee to immediately engage UBEC, state governments, contractors, and other stakeholders to fast-track the nationwide operationalisation of the schools.
ADENIJI SAMUEL
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