The Honourable Minister of Education CON Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, on Wednesday led the defence of the Federal Ministry of Education’s ₦2.4 trillion 2026 Budget Proposal before the Joint Committees on Education of the National Assembly, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency, measurable outcomes, and the completion of ongoing projects nationwide.
Accompanying him were the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad; the Permanent Secretary, Mr Abel O. Eniitan; and Directors of the Ministry.
Presenting the estimates during the National Assembly’s review of the 2025 budget implementation and consideration of the 2026 projections, the Minister described rollover provisions as a clear commitment that no critical education project would be abandoned due to fiscal transitions.
“As we transit from one budget cycle to another, rollover represents our collective determination that projects critical to national education development must be completed. Appropriation must translate into execution, and execution must result in visible impact,” he stated.
Dr Alausa acknowledged capital implementation challenges in 2025 but noted progress in personnel and overhead expenditure.
He stressed that the 2026 framework is structured to deliver improvements in infrastructure, research capacity, teacher development, digital learning access, and safe school environments.
A key concern highlighted was the shortage of over 3,500 teachers in Federal Unity Colleges, particularly in science, mathematics, and technical subjects. The Minister assured lawmakers that recruitment, structured training, and retention strategies have been prioritised to address the gap and strengthen learning outcomes.
The 2026 proposal allocates ₦966.9 billion to universities, ₦382.0 billion to polytechnics and colleges of education, ₦633.3 billion to education parastatals, and ₦257.9 billion for the Ministry’s headquarters operations. Unity Colleges are projected to receive ₦155 billion, while ₦10.3 billion is earmarked for international commitments, including UNESCO obligations. Expansion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) aims to equip over five million youths with employable and entrepreneurial skills.
The Minister further outlined the Ministry’s six-point education renewal agenda, focusing on STEMM advancement, reducing out-of-school children, girl-child education, digitalisation, data-driven planning, and community engagement. He emphasised that the 2026–2028 ministerial deliverables align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Education Sector Roadmap.
In his remarks, the Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Muntari Dandutse, underscored the National Assembly’s constitutional mandate under Section 80 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to rigorously examine budget implementation and new projections. He called for detailed clarification on rollover projects to ensure that appropriated funds correspond with measurable physical progress.
“We must ensure that projects do not appear repeatedly in budget documents without visible execution. Our responsibility is to guarantee that public funds are tied to measurable delivery,” he said.
Also contributing, the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Abubakar Hassan Fulata, and the Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Babagida Hussain, requested detailed nominal rolls and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) submissions from the Ministry and its agencies, stressing strict adherence to constitutional provisions.
Responding, Dr Alausa assured lawmakers that comprehensive documentation, including nominal rolls and detailed IGR expenditure plans, would be submitted promptly to facilitate thorough legislative scrutiny. He reiterated that the Ministry views the engagement as a collaborative partnership anchored on accountability, efficiency, and timely project completion.
Following deliberations, the Joint Committees formally received and adopted the Ministry’s submission for further legislative consideration, with additional documentation to be transmitted through the Permanent Secretary as requested.
The presentation concluded with the Minister expressing readiness to provide further clarifications and reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to collaborative engagement with lawmakers to ensure the successful implementation of the 2026 education sector budget.
Signed
Boriowo Folasade
Director, Press and Public Relations
