The Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, on Friday defended the Federal Ministry of Education’s proposed ₦2.4 trillion 2026 budget before the National Assembly Joint Committees on Education, outlining priorities centred on teachers, infrastructure and skills development.
A statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Boriowo Folasade, said the minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency, measurable outcomes and completion of ongoing projects during the budget defence session.
Alausa, accompanied by the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abel O. Eniitan, and directors of the ministry, highlighted rollover provisions to ensure continuity of critical projects.
He identified key priority areas to include teacher recruitment and retention, infrastructure upgrades, research capacity, digital learning expansion and the promotion of safe school environments.
The minister disclosed that Federal Unity Colleges were facing a shortage of more than 3,500 teachers, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences (STEMM) subjects, adding that structured recruitment and training strategies had been outlined to address the gap.
According to the breakdown presented, ₦966.9 billion was allocated to universities, ₦382 billion to polytechnics and colleges of education, ₦633.3 billion to parastatals, ₦155 billion to Unity Colleges, and ₦10.3 billion for international commitments.
Alausa further stated that the expansion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes was aimed at equipping over five million youths with employable and entrepreneurial skills.
He noted that the 2026–2028 deliverables were aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Education Sector Roadmap, assuring lawmakers of the ministry’s commitment to accountability, efficiency and measurable impact across the education sector.
