Minister of Education Dr Olatunji Alausa has called on the National Assembly to suspend the passage of bills seeking to establish new tertiary institutions, urging lawmakers to focus instead on adequately funding existing ones.
Alausa appealed in a memorandum submitted during a public hearing held by the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education on Thursday in Abuja. The hearing centred on three proposed federal polytechnics and technical education bills.
One of the bills seeks to establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in the Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State.
Citing limited resources, the Minister cautioned against the proliferation of new federal institutions and emphasised the need to consolidate and strengthen existing structures to improve the quality of education and service delivery.
Alausa stated that the Ministry reaffirmed the Federal Government’s policy of equitably locating federal institutions across states, noting that no state was to host more than one Federal Polytechnic at a time, while ensuring that every state had at least one such institution.
He explained that all states, except Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), were already part of this initiative. He, therefore, urged members of the House of Representatives to prioritise resource allocation towards ensuring the practical take-off of already established institutions, rather than initiating new ones.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Education had streamlined and expanded channels for establishing private tertiary institutions, encouraging states and individuals to take advantage of the opportunity to contribute to the country’s educational development.
Alausa recommended suspending further initiation and deliberation on the bill to establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in the Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State in light of current funding limitations.
On proposed amendments to the Federal Polytechnics Act, Alausa expressed no objection but opposed a specific provision seeking to include representatives of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on the governing councils of polytechnics.
“While both organisations play significant roles, their core functions do not directly align with the responsibilities of a polytechnic’s governing council. NBTE serves as a regulatory body, while MAN advocates for the interests of manufacturers,” he said.
Defending the proposal, the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Usman Balami (PDP–Borno), stated that insecurity and unemployment in Borno necessitated the establishment of the institution.
“This institution will provide diverse training programmes tailored for today’s dynamic job market. It will bridge the gap between theory and practice, producing graduates ready to meet workforce demands,” the lawmaker added.
According to him, the college would foster innovation, encourage entrepreneurship, and stimulate economic growth in the region by nurturing local talent and promoting a culture of self-employment.
Committee Chairman, Rep. Fuad Laguda (APC–Lagos), acknowledged widespread agreement on the role of skills acquisition in tackling unemployment. He called for comprehensive input from stakeholders and assured that all recommendations would be duly considered.
“With the passage of these bills, Nigerians will have greater access to knowledge and skills in the arts, sciences, technology, humanities, and vocational and technical education,” Laguda said.
