Academic Experts Laud Tinubu’s Minister for Key Reforms in Education
- The minister of education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has been applauded for initiating key reforms in the education sector
- Policy and academic experts highlighted major initiatives embarked upon by the minister to revive the struggling education sector
- Meanwhile, Alausa has recently secured the Tinubu's government’s approval to disburse N50 billion in Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) owed to university lecturers, a move commended by the experts
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
The minister of education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has received rare bipartisan praise from both policy and academic experts for initiating a series of reforms aimed at revitalising the country’s struggling education sector.
Source: Twitter
Former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, and legal scholar Professor Yemi Oke of the University of Lagos have both recently endorsed the minister’s initiatives, pointing to what they describe as unprecedented leadership and delivery in the sector.
Peterside hails BRIDGE initiative
Central to Alausa’s early reform agenda is the launch of the Diaspora BRIDGE initiative, a digital platform designed to connect Nigerian professionals abroad with institutions back home. The programme allows diaspora experts to contribute to national development efforts in education, healthcare, engineering, and other sectors without financial incentives, with the government covering only logistics.
Peterside, a development strategist and former federal agency head, described the platform as “a deliberate and commendable effort to align global expertise with national priorities.” He said it moves Nigeria beyond relying solely on remittances—estimated at $20.5 billion in 2024—towards actively engaging diaspora professionals in nation-building.
“Remittances don’t build hospitals or upgrade curricula,” Peterside said. “This is about brain circulation, not brain drain.”
Source: Twitter
Technology-driven monitoring ensures accountability
The BRIDGE initiative is integrated with TETFund’s TERAS system, enabling real-time tracking of engagements, metrics, and deliverables. Officials say the move is part of a wider effort to improve transparency and accountability in public sector programmes.
Alausai’s ministry is currently expanding the programme’s reach to include agriculture, clean energy, and creative industries. “We are not just tapping expertise; we are institutionalising contribution,” one senior education official said.
N50bn settlement of lecturers’ allowances ends two-decade dispute
In a separate move, Alausa secured the federal government’s approval to disburse N50 billion in Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) owed to university lecturers—a long-standing demand by academic unions that had fuelled repeated industrial actions over nearly two decades.
Though the debt predated his appointment, Alausa proposed and oversaw its settlement. Professor Yemi Oke, a long-serving academic and education policy analyst, called the payment “a sign of sincerity and integrity,” noting that the minister acted on an issue many of his predecessors avoided.
“This was a promise he didn’t make, but he took personal responsibility to fulfil,” Oke said. “In a system where blame-shifting is common, this is a welcome shift in leadership posture.”
Observers cautiously optimistic
Observers say Alausa’s reforms reflect a broader strategic vision rather than isolated decisions. In less than a year, he has introduced institutional innovations, addressed long-standing liabilities, and launched partnerships with academic and research institutions.
Both Peterside and Oke stressed that their endorsements were not given lightly, citing past reform failures.
“We’ve seen policy pronouncements without delivery. What we’re witnessing now is quiet but deliberate implementation,” Peterside said.
Despite early success, challenges remain. Analysts say Nigeria’s education sector is still hampered by poor infrastructure, unreliable power, limited broadband, and bureaucratic inertia. Public scepticism also looms large.
“The real test is sustainability,” said one Abuja-based education consultant. “Will this momentum survive election cycles and shifting political interests?”
Nevertheless, Alausa’s data-driven and partnership-focused approach is being cited as a potential model for reform across sectors as analysts say his work has raised hopes of restoring credibility to Nigeria’s education system, one long beset by strikes, underfunding, and declining global competitiveness.
“If Nigeria is wise,” said Peterside, “it will recognise that this isn’t just about education. It’s about building a governance model rooted in trust, delivery, and accountability.”
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Alausa partners with Amazon
Legit.ng reported that the Ministry of Education, in a decisive push to reform Nigeria’s education landscape, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has unveiled a landmark initiative aimed at equipping students and teachers with in-demand digital skills.
The initiative, launched in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), is aimed at democratising access to training in emerging technologies, including cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Source: Legit.ng
