Abuja: The Federal Executive Council has approved a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal tertiary institutions, as announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa. This decision was revealed during a briefing with State House correspondents after the council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chambers of the State House.
According to Voice of Nigeria, the government aims to redirect funds towards enhancing the infrastructure and capacity of existing institutions rather than creating new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Dr. Alausa highlighted the over-proliferation of institutions without adequate demand or resources, emphasizing the need to improve current facilities and staffing.
The minister explained that many applications for new institutions had been inactive for years, prompting the introduction of new guidelines. These changes resulted in the deactivation of numerous applications, leaving 79 active private universities. Despite approving nine new private universities, Dr. Alausa clarified that this was due to the backlog of applications with the National University Commission.
Dr. Alausa underscored that the education sector’s challenge is not access to federal tertiary education but the duplication of institutions leading to deteriorating infrastructure and manpower. He warned of a potential decline in the quality of graduates, which could affect their global competitiveness and increase unemployment rates.
The minister detailed Nigeria’s vast tertiary education landscape, with 72 federal universities, 108 state universities, and 159 private universities. Similar patterns exist among polytechnics and colleges of education. He noted a northern region federal university with fewer than 800 students but over 1,200 staff, illustrating the inefficiency and unsustainable nature of current operations.
Dr. Alausa praised President Tinubu’s commitment to education, highlighting the president’s mandate to ensure high-quality education comparable to global standards. The moratorium aims to optimize government resources and improve educational outcomes across existing institutions.
In addition to the moratorium, the Council approved the establishment of nine new private universities. Dr. Alausa addressed concerns of contradiction, explaining that the approvals were for applications pending with the National University Commission, not new submissions. He expressed gratitude for the president’s support in advancing the education sector.