The Federal Government on Monday unveiled three new national education policies, shifting the sector’s focus from policy formulation to practical implementation.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, at the unveiling in Abuja, said the ministry had adopted an 80 per cent implementation and 20 per cent policy development model in line with international standards.
Alausa stressed that Nigeria’s education reforms must now translate into measurable outcomes across all states.
He also appreciated development partners, including UNESCO, UNICEF, and others, for their continued support of Nigeria’s education sector.
He stated that the new policies would either improve existing ones or address areas where no policy previously existed.
According to him, policy is just 10 per cent of the work, adding, “Implementation is the heart of what we do, and the Commissioners will drive this work, while the federal government will provide the technical support and resources required.”
“The first of the three policies presented is the National Teachers’ Policy alongside its implementation guidelines.
The policy is designed to strengthen teacher quality, upgrade competencies, and improve professional development,” Alausa said.
He added that the government had accelerated the digitalisation of teacher training programmes and would soon launch a digital platform for continuous professional development.
He also said the government was working to ensure Teacher Registration Council licensing for all public school teachers to produce the best students.
The minister said the second policy document, on Drug and Substance Abuse in Schools, was meant to address the rising rate of drug and substance abuse among students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
“This is the first time Nigeria is developing a national policy and implementation guideline on drug abuse in schools,” he said, noting that the policy incorporated counselling and behavioural support, while affirming that the government would not hesitate to punish repeat offenders.
Alausa added, “We must protect our youth. Addiction destroys lives, and President Bola Tinubu believes strongly in the capacity of Nigerians.”
Also speaking, Kwara Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr Lawal Olorungbebe, pledged full implementation of the new policies.
Olorungbebe emphasised that while policies were formulated at the federal level, implementation rested squarely with the states.
“Most of the implementation steps can easily be captured in our 2025 project plans for those who have not gone beyond that stage,” he explained.
He also pledged the unwavering commitment of all state commissioners of education to ensuring the policies translate into concrete results across the federation.
“We’ll do our best to ensure that every part of these policies is well implemented. We are strategic, decisive, and deliberate. We will do everything we can,” he stated.
