The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, says the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has succeeded in returning more than one million out-of-school children to classrooms over the past two years.
He also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the controversial land swap arrangement at the Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, insisting the initiative would go ahead despite criticisms.
Alausa spoke during an inspection of AGILE education projects in Kano State public schools and the inauguration of a digital library at FGC, Kano.
Expressing concern over the high number of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria, the minister said the Federal Government had introduced bilingual schools as part of efforts to remove children from the streets and integrate them into the formal education system.
According to him, over one million children have been enrolled back into schools within the last 24 months, with the government now focusing on ensuring they remain in the education system.
The minister disclosed that one of the bilingual schools visited during the inspection was about 90 per cent completed and is expected to be delivered by August 31, 2026. He added that another bilingual school would begin operations during the current academic session, while a fourth is projected to be completed and become operational by June 2027.
He said the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) would soon begin recruiting teachers and making other preparations to ensure the new school is ready for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Alausa also inspected an IJR-supported junior secondary school project in Langan, where 12 classrooms, perimeter fencing and a security post are under construction. He explained that the new facility would accommodate the junior secondary school upon completion, while the existing structures would be converted for primary school use.
The minister assured that the Federal Government would provide furniture for the primary school and introduce additional interventions to improve learning outcomes and the overall quality of education.
Addressing concerns over the allocation of 15 hectares of land at FGC, Kano, under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement, Alausa defended the decision, saying the land swap was designed to enhance infrastructure development within the institution.
He argued that it was impractical to retain vast portions of land that might remain unused for decades when they could instead be deployed through transparent partnerships to generate resources that directly benefit the school and its students.
The minister stressed that the government would not allow emotions or public sentiment to derail policies aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s education sector. He added that the decision followed on-the-ground assessments by senior officials rather than reports from Abuja.
He further assured stakeholders, including the college’s alumni, that every decision taken by the Federal Government would be guided by the best interests of the students.
Alausa was accompanied on the inspection by the Minister of State for Education, officials of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Kano State Commissioner for Education.
