Isaac Samuel
The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has called on the National Assembly to exercise restraint in the passage of bills seeking to establish new federal tertiary institutions.
The minister urged the lawmakers to instead focus on consolidating and adequately funding existing ones.
Alausa made this position known through a memorandum presented during a public hearing held by the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education in Abuja on Thursday.
The hearing was convened to consider three proposed bills related to federal polytechnics and technical education, including one seeking to establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State.
The minister cautioned against initiating new institutions in light of current financial limitations.
He stressed the importance of channeling resources into existing schools to enhance their capacity, infrastructure, and service delivery.
“The Ministry reaffirms the Federal Government’s policy on citing Federal Institutions equitably across states. This policy ensures that no state hosts more than one Federal Polytechnic at a time while guaranteeing that every state has at least one such institution.
“Currently, all states except Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are engaged in this initiative. Therefore, the Ministry urges the distinguished members of the Green Chambers to prioritize resource allocation towards the successful take-off of already established institutions rather than initiating new ones.
“Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Education has streamlined and expanded avenues for the establishment of private tertiary institutions. States and individuals are encouraged to leverage this opportunity to contribute to national educational development.
“Given prevailing funding constraints, the Ministry recommends suspending further initiation and deliberations on the Bill for an Act to establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Hawul Local Government Area, Borno State, at this time.”
On the two other bills (HB.1413 and HB.2114), which propose amendments to the Federal Polytechnics Act, the Minister expressed support but raised concerns about a provision seeking to include representatives of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the governing councils of polytechnics.
“While both institutions have important roles in the sector, their primary mandates do not align with the governance structure of polytechnics. The NBTE is a regulatory agency, while MAN is an advocacy group for manufacturers,” Alausa noted.
Defending the bill for the proposed Hawul college, its sponsor, Rep. Usman Balami (PDP–Borno), argued that the institution would provide a timely solution to insecurity and rising youth unemployment in Borno State.
He described the initiative as a pathway to economic empowerment and self-reliance for young people through skill acquisition.
Balami also stressed the potential of the college to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation by nurturing local talent.
