Alausa Pushes Data-Driven Education Reforms

The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has said the success of President Bola Tinubu’s education reforms depends on stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and states, backed by reliable data to drive planning and decision-making.

Speaking at the opening of a five-day Executive Retreat for Commissioners of Education in Abuja, Alausa described education as Nigeria’s most important investment for economic growth, national security and sustainable development.

He said the Tinubu administration had placed education at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that while the Federal Government provides policy direction, states bear primary responsibility for delivering quality education.

“Our education reforms can only succeed through stronger collaboration between the Federal and State Governments and a deliberate shift to data-driven decision-making,” the minister said.

Alausa announced the rollout of the National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) and the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS), saying the platforms would replace assumption-based planning with real-time data on school enrolment, teacher deployment, infrastructure and learning outcomes.

“The integrated digital platforms will provide real-time information required for effective planning, budgeting, monitoring and resource allocation,” he said.

The minister urged all states to complete their Annual School Census using the digitised platform, commending Kaduna and Borno states for leading implementation while encouraging others to accelerate the process.

He also called on states to take advantage of the World Bank-supported HOPE Education Programme, which offers $552 million in performance-based funding to states that meet agreed reform targets.

“Although all 36 states are eligible to benefit, several are yet to complete critical requirements needed to unlock the programme’s resources,” Alausa said, urging commissioners to work with the Federal Ministry of Education and the World Bank to meet the programme’s conditions.

To sustain reform efforts, he proposed quarterly meetings of state commissioners of education to review progress, exchange best practices and strengthen accountability across the federation.

The minister added that the Federal Government was expanding access to digital learning technologies, including offline learning platforms, digital instructional materials and teacher support tools.

However, he cautioned against prioritising costly smart school projects without adequate plans for maintenance.

“Quality instructional materials, effective teacher support and conducive learning environments remain the most critical drivers of improved learning outcomes,” he said.

He urged education stakeholders to institutionalise reliable data systems, strengthen accountability and sustain collaborative reforms capable of improving learning outcomes nationwide.

Declaring the retreat open, Alausa charged commissioners to “embrace evidence over assumptions, collaboration over isolation and continuity over fragmented reforms,” adding that “the future prosperity and competitiveness of Nigeria will ultimately depend on the quality of education provided to today’s learners.”

Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who delivered the keynote address, urged commissioners to implement reforms that would outlive political administrations.

“Lasting improvements in education require policy continuity, reliable data, stronger teacher development, accountability and sustained investment in learning outcomes rather than short-term interventions,” Chidoka said.

Also speaking, World Bank Senior Economist and Task Team Leader for the HOPE Education Programme, Shin Nomura, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s education reforms and urged states to complete the necessary requirements to access the available funding.