The Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has called on the National Assembly to channel its efforts and resources towards enhancing already established tertiary institutions instead of creating new ones.
Alausa’s position was made known in a memorandum presented during a public hearing organized on Thursday by the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education in Abuja.
The session focused on three legislative proposals:
1. A Bill seeking to establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Hawul Local Government Area, Borno State (HB.1797), which aims to provide full-time education and training in fields such as technology, applied sciences, arts, social sciences, humanities, and management.
2. A Bill to amend Section 3(2)(b), the Second Schedule, and Section 31 of the Federal Polytechnics Act, Cap F17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (HB.1413).
3. A Bill to review the functions of polytechnics through amendments to the Federal Polytechnics Act, Cap F17 (HB.2114).
While Alausa voiced no objections to the amendment bills except for a clause proposing the inclusion of the National Board for Technical Education and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria on the governing councils of polytechnics, he opposed the bill proposing the new college in Borno.
“While both organisations play significant roles,” the minister stated, “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.”
Alausa also highlighted the Federal Government’s policy of ensuring equitable distribution of federal institutions, noting that each state is expected to have one federal polytechnic.
He stressed that, at present, all states except Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory are covered under this arrangement.
He argued that the government’s limited resources should be concentrated on improving existing institutions to ensure the delivery of quality education rather than diluting efforts by establishing more institutions.
“The Federal Ministry of Education has expanded avenues for establishing private tertiary institutions. States and individuals are encouraged to utilise these channels to support national educational development,” he added.
In light of the ongoing funding challenges, Alausa recommended the suspension of discussions surrounding the proposed Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Hawul, Borno State.
He urged the House to focus on improving the quality of education through robust support for the institutions already in existence.
However, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Usman Balami (PDP–Borno), defended the proposal, pointing to rising insecurity and youth unemployment in Borno as urgent motivations for establishing the new college.
“This institution will provide diverse training programmes tailored for today’s dynamic job market,” Balami said. “It will bridge the gap between theory and practice, producing graduates ready to meet workforce demands.”
He further emphasized that the institution would spark innovation, foster entrepreneurship, and fuel regional economic growth by empowering local talent with skills for self-employment.
Committee Chairman, Rep. Fuad Laguda (APC–Lagos), acknowledged widespread agreement on the critical role of skills acquisition in reducing unemployment.
“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,” he noted.
Laguda also lauded the Speaker and House leadership for their guidance and support, pledging that all inputs from stakeholders would be carefully reviewed in the committee’s final recommendations.