- Alausa Unveils Education Data Platforms, Urges States to Access $552m World Bank Fund
- Says Education Reforms Must Be Driven by Data, Federal-State Partnership
- Says States Yet to Meet Conditions for $552m HOPE Education Fund
The Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, has said Nigeria’s education reforms can only achieve lasting success through stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and states, backed by reliable data for planning and decision-making, Eko Hot Blog reports.
Speaking at the opening of a five-day Executive Retreat for Commissioners of Education organised by the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education (COSCEN), Alausa said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has placed education at the centre of the Renewed Hope Agenda, with reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes and driving national development.
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The minister said while the Federal Government provides policy direction, states remain responsible for delivering quality education, making effective collaboration essential.
As part of efforts to improve education planning, Alausa announced the rollout of the National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) and the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS).
According to him, the two digital platforms will provide real-time data on school enrolment, teacher deployment, school infrastructure and learning outcomes, replacing assumption-based planning with evidence-based decision-making.
He explained that the platforms would integrate education data from schools, local governments, states and federal institutions into a single system to improve planning, budgeting, monitoring, transparency and accountability.
The minister urged all state governments to complete their Annual School Census using the digital platform, commending Kaduna and Borno states for their progress while encouraging other states to speed up implementation.
Alausa also called on states to take advantage of the $552 million World Bank-supported HOPE Education Programme, noting that although all 36 states are eligible, several have yet to meet key requirements needed to access the funds.
He said states must complete conditions such as signing Subsidiary Loan Agreements, opening designated programme accounts and complying with data reporting obligations before they can benefit from the performance-based financing initiative.
The minister further proposed quarterly meetings of state commissioners of education to review progress, share best practices and strengthen accountability across the education sector.
He added that under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), the Federal Government is expanding access to digital learning resources, offline instructional technologies and teacher support tools to improve classroom teaching.
Alausa, however, cautioned against investing heavily in expensive smart school projects without making adequate plans for their maintenance, stressing that quality teachers, learning materials and conducive learning environments remain the foundation of improved education outcomes.
In his keynote address, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, urged education commissioners to implement reforms that would outlive political administrations through policy continuity, reliable data, stronger teacher development and sustained investment in learning outcomes.
Also speaking, Senior Economist and Task Team Leader for the HOPE Education Programme at the World Bank, Shin Nomura, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s education reforms and encouraged states to complete all necessary requirements to access the programme’s funding.
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