‘I’m Very Angry About State Of Education In Nigeria’- Minister Says After Receiving Roadmap Development Report

The Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mammam, has vowed that days of mere talking in the education sector are over, adding that it is now time for action.

Mamman stated this on Tuesday while receiving the final report on the development of a Roadmap in the Education Sector from the eight-man committee set up to develop a roadmap to actualise set objectives in the education sector.

Recall the committee which was setup by the minister on September 5, 2023, was given six weeks to come up with a clear road map and framework that will guide the ministry in the next four years to achieve its goals.

The minister stated that the ministry will set up a mechanism for the full implementation of the report, adding that it will also set up a Monitoring and Evaluation Committee as well as Implementation Committee to ensure the ministry is on track in achieving its goals.

“ The days of talking are over, this is the time to act and do what is right. The report is going to be unveiled so that the whole country will be aware of our plans to take education to its rightful place,” he said.

Mamman stated that the two Education Ministers were unhappy about the state of education in the country, adding they are now determined to show Nigerians that they meant business in restoring sanity to the sector.

“I and my colleagues are also unhappy Nigerians and I feel this country has not achieved what it should have achieved in the last 63 years. I am very angry about that.

“Some of us have benefited from what was good in this country, now that we have this opportunity. I don’t see any reason why we should not achieve what we have yearned and cry out for all these years. So, we want to transfer this anger into something good we have desired these years.

” I want to assure you that we mean business in what has to be done. The strategies, guidelines and activities presented in this report will be followed,” he said.

He pledged that the report of the road map will not be a cosmetic one as President Bola Tinubu who placed a huge priority on education, is committed to achieve his agenda.

He warned the director and staff of the ministry not to drag their feet as many young Nigerians with bleak future, who are out of school or have dropped out of school are looking at them for solutions.

“We’ve been criticised in the education sector for giving Nigerians certificates that don’t give value to make our graduates not active. We will be challenging everybody from basic education to tertiary to bring value to their certificates,” he said.

Earlier while presenting the report, the chairman of the committee, Dr. Nuru Yakubu, disclosed that the committee had conducted various reviews of past Ministerial Strategic Plans, including high level documents on policies and past reports in the ministry, adding that it had identified gaps and adopted areas to align with the objectives of the present government.

Nuru stated that the report was presented at a one day National Stakeholders Workshop held recently in Abuja where stakeholders from the sector contributed to enrich the report and expressed satisfaction that the document will make a difference in the sector.

He explained that the strategic plan of action has 13 thematic areas which include, out-of-school children, Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Girl-Child Education, Youths and Adult Literacy, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematical (STEAM).

Others are, Entrepreneurship Education, Curriculum and Policy Matters, Capacity Building and Professional Development , Teacher Education, Tertiary Education and Students Support Services, Education Data and Planning, ICT Education and Library Services.

“We have incorporated the Ministerial Performance Bond to presidential priorities and deliverables 2023-2027 under the appropriate thematic areas with special focus on out-of-school children, girl-child education, skills and entrepreneurial education,” he said.