Federal Ministry of Education Charts New Course with "Renewed Hope Education Roadmap".

Federal Ministry of Education Charts New Course with "Renewed Hope Education Roadmap".

In a historic event on April 2nd, 2024, the Federal Ministry of Education orchestrated a groundbreaking citizen and stakeholders’ engagement at the Abuja Continental Hotel, marking a pivotal moment under President Tinubu's administration. Led by the Honorable Minister, Professor Tahir Mamman, OON, SAN, supported by Minister of State, Hon. Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, and Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, the event aimed to showcase the Ministry's progress, delineate deliverables, and scrutinize the Nigerian Education Sector Roadmap.

The Honorable Minister, shedding his Agbada to present a seamless PowerPoint presentation, assumed his role as the "Lecturer-General" of the Federation. He articulated the strides taken, their impact, and emphasized the paramountcy of ideas over financial constraints. Professor Tahir Mamman asserted that with the right ideas and clear implementation strategies, financial limitations should never impede service delivery but rather spur innovative financial management practices.

Another novel idea the Minister expounded was the concept of infusion or integration of skills into the entire education system to address the learning crisis. Many people are used to the concept “skills acquisition” as a means of promoting the inclusion of some level of skill sets in some categories of young people mostly school dropouts or unemployed youth. For Professor Tahir Mamman that is not the way to go. The best way to ensure that skill sets are an integral part of learning is to infuse skills into the entire learning process such that a child at the basic and secondary school level grows up believing that beyond literacy and numeracy, skills are required in order to live a fulfilled life. The net effect of that is that if for instance a child goes to the University to become a professional, with a mindset that recognizes skill set as important, such a child will still consider his professional skills as part of the overall outlook to providing professional excellence. There are three areas the Minister emphasized in his presentation.

The Minister highlighted three core objectives during the stakeholder engagement. Firstly, he emphasized the urgent need to build a reliable and authentic database for the education sector to facilitate effective planning. He lamented the absence of comprehensive student data across all levels of education, citing India's example of accurate population data from basic to tertiary education. He pledged to replicate this in Nigeria in the coming months. Secondly, the Minister outlined plans to integrate skills development and acquisition into the education curriculum, marking a significant departure from the current perception of skill training as a last resort. By infusing skill acquisition into the learning culture, it becomes an intrinsic part of education rather than an optional pursuit. Lastly, the Minister expressed a strong commitment to significantly reducing the number of out-of-school children. Since assuming office, he has prioritized tackling this issue, demonstrating an unwavering dedication to addressing the out-of-school children crisis.

Under the current leadership and in keeping with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, The Federal Ministry of Education had developed eight (8) Focus Areas. These are: Equitable Access to education by every citizen, Quality Education and Learning Outcomes in order to enhance value, Skills and Entrepreneurship Education as an integral part of the learning process, Research and Innovation Education for knowledge upgrade, Infrastructure Planning so as to ensure effective carrying capacity, Education Financing and Resourcing in order to have resource back up, System strengthening to ensure effective institutional functioning and Policy Recommendations for the entire education sector. These are indeed revolutionary ideas that will definitely create positive impact nationwide.

Under the Education roadmap of the Renewed Hope Agenda as enunciated by Professor Tahir Mamman and his team, the role of the Private sector has been well understood and appreciated. The Hon. Minister of Education informed the gathering of stakeholders that at the basic and secondary level of Education especially at Urban and semi-urban centres, there are more private schools than public schools. To this end it was imperative to sensitize the private sector on partnership in all aspects of the sector including funding of key aspects such as research and provision of infrastructure

The establishment of a National Education Repository and Data Bank, tasked with collecting, collating, and warehousing all education records dating back to 1932, has been given top priority. Recognizing the indispensable role of development partners in national progress, the Federal Ministry of Education, under Professor Tahir Mamman's leadership, has actively engaged with these partners on practical and impactful projects in Nigeria. The Ministry's focus is on ensuring that Nigeria identifies its needs and intervention areas through thorough situation analysis and gap identification, essential steps for effective development planning and implementation.

The Federal Scholarship scheme underwent enhancements to ensure greater transparency and inclusivity. Each aspect of the scheme now operates on an open and transparent basis, aimed at boosting confidence among both grant providers and beneficiaries. Under bilateral agreements with foreign countries, 345 beneficiaries have departed Nigeria for destinations in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Additionally, 2,889 students studying education have received bursary awards, while 51 students have benefited from Commonwealth Scholarship Awards, and 2,122 others have been recipients of Nigerian scholarship awards. An innovative Teacher Internship Award program has been introduced to provide mentorship to young individuals in the teaching profession, accompanied by a token grant to incentivize participation. To date, 724 beneficiaries have availed themselves of these awards.

Professor Tahir Mamman and his team's transparent and inclusive handling of scholarship awards instills confidence in the proposed student loan scheme, mitigating fears of abuse due to Nigerian factors like opaqueness and favouritism. Digitization plays a crucial role in ensuring openness and transparency across operations. The Federal Ministry of Education has scanned and digitized all departmental records, facilitating easy access to electronic documents. Additionally, processes such as certificate accreditation have been automated, allowing for authentication and accreditation through the website www.ess.education.gov.ng. The Ministry has also automated the collation and compilation of admissions into Federal Unity Colleges. Furthermore, 35,000 teachers nationwide have received training in ICT usage in classrooms, alongside the provision of ICT equipment to produce digital content for all 36 States and FCT.

In a bold intervention effort, the Ministry has addressed key areas such as non-formal education, including Almajiri and Tsangaya education, and initiatives to provide a second chance for girls who missed their initial schooling opportunities. Grants have been allocated to 312 Integrated Qur’anic and Tsangaya Education (IQTE) Centers across 24 States and the FCT. These grants support the construction of 419 classrooms, 66 recitation halls, 25 recitation shades, 140 offices, 27 hostels, and 225 VIP toilets. This concerted effort has significantly reduced the number of out-of-school children nationwide.

Within a short span of time, the Ministry has undertaken significant initiatives to address the issue of out-of-school children. A total of 2,000,000 out-of-school children, primarily Almajiris, have been enrolled in basic schools along with participation in an Arabic literacy program with vocational training. This proactive approach aims to transform neglected children into highly skilled professionals and artisans in the future. Additionally, the Ministry has renovated 73 classrooms, drilled 46 boreholes, and supplied essential amenities such as 55 double bunk beds, 559 lockers, and 1,100 mats. Furthermore, 6,585 pieces of furniture for both pupils and teachers have been provided, benefiting 62,161 learners. In a concerted effort to promote girl-child education and skill acquisition, 28 Second Chance Schools, known as Girl-Child Community Centers, have been constructed. These initiatives reflect the Ministry's commitment to ensuring access to education and fostering skill development among marginalized populations.

The Ministry has taken significant steps to promote Nigerian values and preserve the country's heritage through education. To achieve this, academic manuscripts have been converted into 80 textbooks, encouraging the use of Nigerian content in educational materials. Additionally, the Ministry recognized the importance of diverse knowledge and acquired 3,118,701 assorted books and 376,262 E-resources relevant to modern learning across various fields. A National Virtual Library has been established, accessible at www.virtual.nln.gov.ng, to provide widespread access to educational resources. Furthermore, the Ministry facilitated the implementation of the State-of-the-Art National Repository of Nigeria, available at https://nigeriareposit.nln.gov.ng/, to preserve the nation's heritage. This preservation effort extends to documenting unexploited Nigerian heritage in languages such as Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Pidgin. The Ministry has also established 40 book clubs in secondary schools to promote reading culture. Additionally, vacation skills acquisition training has been provided to 420 participants in various fields, including ICT, shoemaking, leatherwork, and catering. These initiatives serve a dual purpose: equipping beneficiaries with valuable skill sets and studying the process to facilitate widespread implementation in the future.

During the citizens' engagement program, the Honorable Minister emphasized its purpose: to ensure public validation of decisions aimed at improving Nigeria's education sector. He also highlighted the objective of interrogating deliverables to reform the sector, providing quality education accessible to all. The ultimate goal is to cultivate a highly skilled and educated workforce equipped with entrepreneurial skills. This initiative aims to break the cycle of poverty and ensure sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness.

Ahmad Sajoh, Executive Director/CEO of FutureNow Initiative, and a prominent civil society leader, actively participated in the Citizens Engagement held at the Ladi Kwalli Hall, Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja FCT.