Education

Nigeria’s Spending On Education Above 26% UNESCO’s Recommendation -FG

Published

4 years ago

August 15, 2022

The Federal Government has admitted that the education sector in the country is facing enormous challenges but insisted that the quantum spending on education in Nigeria is far above the stated 26 per cent recommended budgetary allocation to the sector.
This came as the United Nations (UN), has tasked Nigeria to ensure that educational institutions are made safe and affordable for children in the country.
Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Opiah, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew David Adejo and Mamadou Lamine Sow, Senior Education Advisor, united Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), spoke on Thursday in Abuja at Transforming Education Summit: Second National Consultation organised by National Universities Commission (NUC) in partnership with UNICEF and UNESCO.
Opiah in his brief remark at the event, which is a pre-UN Summit, acknowledged that the challenges facing the education sector in the country were enormous, requiring all hands to be on deck to address.
He commended the contributions of the global stakeholders, especially, the World Bank, and United Nations agencies including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UNESCO among others, to the development of the education sector in Nigeria, adding that the summit was the right step in the right direction.
Following disruptions in the education sector by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations Secretary-General is convening a Transforming Education Summit (TES) in September 2022, aimed at mobilising action, ambition, solidarity, and solutions to transform education between now and 2030.
The Permanent Secretary, Adejo in his presentation entitled “Transforming Education in Nigeria: TES and beyond, said the neglect of the sector over time led to the unimaginable crisis being witnessed currently.
He disclosed that the quantum spending on the education sector in Nigeria, was far above the recommended 26 per cent by UNESCO, for countries to allocate between 15 to 26 per cent of their national budget to education.
Adejo argued that education is on the concurrent list with responsibility for basic education largely in the hands of State Governments, while the Federal Government provides intervention through Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) among others, saying the spending by States and intervention at the Federal level are not reflected in the national budget.
He, however, noted that public financing was no longer sustainable, urging the private sector to continue to invest in education in Nigeria.

On the transformation of the teaching profession, Adejo disclosed that President MuhammaduBuhari had already approved robust incentives for teachers and students studying education in universities and colleges of education in Nigeria.

He particularly revealed that the Federal Government is doing all it could to ensure that scholarship awards to students studying education courses in tertiary Institutions come into effect in 2023.

He noted that there was the need to ensure full recovery from COVID-19 education disruptions, address educational exclusion, safety and health, renew curricula and pedagogies while also steering the digital transformation for just and equitable learning.

Senior Education Advisor, UNESCO Abuja Regional Office, MamadouLamine Sow, on his part, urged the Federal Government to ensure that children in Nigeria are safe on their way to and from school and while they are at school.

Sow said: “Our collective commitment and action are urgently needed to wipe out the scourge of school attacks inNigeria.

“We must make education affordable for all learners – the poor, vulnerable, excluded, and marginalized children, through the removal of both direct, indirect and opportunity costs of education.

“Nigeria must mobilise and significantly increase the part of domestic resources allocated to education and ensure that funds are used efficiently and effectively to support the disadvantaged children, to develop and maintain school infrastructures, and to support the quality of teaching and learning for better learning outcomes.

Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Mr Chris Maiyaki, said the inclusive national consultation, in advance of the September 2022 Transforming Education Summit, is necessary to develop national statements to feed into the Summit.

He also tasked stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunity to renew commitment to the Education 2030 agenda by mobilising cross-sectoral stakeholders in support of education.

Education

IAUE Trains HODs, Deans Ahead of NUC Resource Verification

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Academic Planning Unit of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, IAUE, has organized a Pre-Resource Assessment Workshop for Heads of Department and Deans as part of preparations for the forthcoming NUC Resource Verification exercise.

The workshop held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the Postgraduate Hall of the University. It drew professors, deans and HODs from across faculties.

Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Okechukwu Onuchukwu, the University Librarian, Prof. Emmanuel Okwu, welcomed principal officers and other participants. He described the session as critical to ensuring the University’s readiness for the NUC assessment.

Prof. Okwu stressed that the exercise was not routine but a strategic step toward meeting national standards. He urged participants to take the presentations seriously and implement recommendations in their departments.

The Director of the Academic Planning Unit, in his welcome address, said the workshop was designed to assess the level of preparedness of departments ahead of the verification. He noted that the University had already invested significantly in facilities and staffing and was now awaiting the NUC team.

Three resource persons took participants through key aspects of the verification process. The Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Joseph Kinanee, spoke on “NUC Resource Verification and Their Requirements.”

Prof. Levi Doe Kalagbor, Director of Quality Assurance, addressed “The Role of Staff in Successful Resource Verification Exercise.” Prof. Isaac Ogundu, Dean of the Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education, presented on “NUC Scoring Format/Guide and Its Implication for Approval Status.”

The presentations were followed by an interactive question-and-answer session. Participants sought clarifications on documentation, facilities and staffing ratios, and received detailed responses from the facilitators.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Okwu thanked everyone for their active participation and engagement. He expressed optimism that IAUE would record a successful outcome in the upcoming NUC resource verification. The programme ended with a closing prayer and refreshments.

Education

UNIPORT VC Hails Postgraduate School Over Planned International Conference

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Chike Princewill, has commended the School of Graduate Studies for initiating an international conference, describing it as a timely move to boost research output, academic excellence and the University’s global visibility.

Prof. Princewill gave the commendation on Friday while receiving members of the conference planning committee set up by the School. The delegation was led by the Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Doris Adameh.

He applauded the committee for conceiving the project and urged members to pursue it with diligence and strategic planning. According to him, such academic gatherings are critical to positioning UNIPORT as a hub for cutting-edge research in the region and beyond.

The Vice-Chancellor specifically charged the committee to engage the University’s alumni as strategic partners in the execution of the conference. He noted that their networks, experience and resources would add significant value to the event.

Prof. Princewill further directed the team to reach out to former postgraduate students of the University to solicit their support and cooperation. He said their involvement would help ensure wider participation and a more successful hosting.

He stressed that alumni remain vital stakeholders in the University’s growth agenda. “Their contributions can significantly enhance the success of the event and strengthen our academic and research profile,” he stated.

Earlier in her remarks, Prof. Adameh said the committee was constituted by the School of Graduate Studies to plan and deliver an international conference that meets global standards. She noted that the process was already underway.

Prof. Adameh explained that the conference is designed to bring together scholars, researchers and professionals from across the world. The goal, she added, is to advance knowledge exchange and foster academic collaboration that will benefit both the University and the wider scholarly community.

By: Amadi Akujobi

Education

Education Commissioner hails RSU’S growth research as key to rivers development

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended Rivers State University, RSU, for its resilience, academic growth and research contributions, describing the institution as critical to the state’s socio-economic development.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during an official visit to the University in Nkpolu-Oroworukwo. He held talks with principal officers, provosts, campus heads, deans and directors at the Dr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike Senate Building.

The Commissioner said the visit was to engage the University’s leadership on consolidating gains and strengthening capacity for quality teaching, cutting-edge research, innovation and community service. He noted that RSU occupies a strategic position in the state’s development agenda.

Reaffirming government’s commitment, Dr. Nwagor said education remains the bedrock of human capital development and economic transformation. He stressed that investments in infrastructure, staff development and digital learning must be matched with strong institutional systems, transparency and measurable outcomes.

He urged the University to prioritize key performance indicators such as accreditation performance, research output, internally generated revenue, student outcomes and graduate employability. According to him, these metrics should drive continuous improvement across faculties.

Dr. Nwagor also charged RSU to accelerate its digital transformation, establish research and innovation hubs to solve real societal problems, and maintain existing infrastructure. He advised management to explore sustainable funding through grants, endowments, alumni engagement and strategic industry partnerships.

The Commissioner emphasized that government and the University must play complementary roles. While government meets its statutory funding obligations, he said, the institution must strengthen internal efficiency and pursue legitimate private-sector collaborations.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, appreciated the State Government for its sustained support. He highlighted last year’s budgetary intervention for accreditation, approval of funds for the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies Film Festival slated for November 2026, and the implementation of the new minimum wage for RSU staff.

Prof. Zeb-Obipi, however, drew attention to pressing challenges. He cited shortages of teaching and non-teaching staff ahead of accreditation exercises, inadequate classrooms, libraries, equipment and office spaces, and acute accommodation deficits for staff and students.

The Vice-Chancellor appealed for support to recruit more personnel, retain retired academics on contract, and engage sabbatical and adjunct lecturers. He also requested funding for NUC and professional accreditation scheduled for October, stressing that successful outcomes are vital to RSU’s competitiveness. He reaffirmed management’s commitment to work with government to position RSU as a leading centre of knowledge, research and innovation.

By Amadi Akujobi