The Federal Government has intensified efforts to transform Nigeria's education sector, announcing that more than one million out-of-school children have been returned to classrooms over the past two years while deploying a national education data platform to improve accountability and support informed decision-making.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday at the 2026 Annual Education Summit in Abuja, where government officials, education stakeholders, development partners and journalists assessed the progress of education initiatives under the Tinubu administration and identified the challenges that still require attention.
Alausa said the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS) gives users access to verified information on teacher deployment, classroom availability, school infrastructure, enrolment and other key indicators down to individual schools. He urged education journalists to make greater use of the platform to produce evidence-based reports and hold state governments and local government councils accountable for education outcomes.
The minister said findings from the 2024/2025 Annual School Census exposed a major gap in access to junior secondary education. According to him, while nearly 25 million pupils are enrolled in primary schools, only about five million transition to junior secondary schools. He added that Nigeria has about 90,000 primary schools compared with approximately 16,000 junior secondary schools, a disparity that has prompted the government to review policies separating junior and senior secondary schools in order to improve access and reduce overcrowding.
Highlighting achievements recorded in the sector, Alausa announced that more than one million out-of-school children have been successfully enrolled in schools within the last 24 months. He, however, noted that millions of children are still outside the formal education system and disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education is partnering with the National Bureau of Statistics to conduct a nationwide household survey to determine the actual number of out-of-school children and shape future interventions.
The minister also highlighted sustained industrial harmony in tertiary institutions, the expansion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, increased emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education, digital transformation initiatives and improvements in the global ranking of Nigerian universities. He reaffirmed that government policies would continue to be guided by credible data and assured journalists of the ministry's open-door policy, encouraging them to verify information before publication.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative provides the framework for ongoing improvements across teacher development, curriculum review, digital transformation, STEM education, technical and vocational training, quality assurance and governance. She said the curriculum is being strengthened to equip learners with digital, entrepreneurial, financial, civic and critical thinking skills, while digital platforms are supporting continuous professional development for teachers across the country. She urged Nigerians to remain patient as the initiatives mature and reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to building an inclusive, resilient and globally competitive education system.
Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr. Aisha Garba, reaffirmed the commission's commitment to ensuring every Nigerian child has access to quality basic education regardless of background, location or economic status. She pledged UBEC's continued collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, the media and other stakeholders to improve learning outcomes nationwide.
Earlier, Chairman of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria, Mr. Chuks Ukwuatu, said the summit was convened to review the achievements, ongoing initiatives and persistent challenges in Nigeria's education sector. He stressed the need for sustained collaboration among policymakers, development partners, education stakeholders and the media to accelerate progress and improve education delivery across the country.
Adeola Kunle
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