Nigeria’s Education Reforms Spark Concerns Over Execution Gaps

Since assuming office in October 2024, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa has introduced sweeping reforms, including nationwide computer-based testing (CBT) for national exams, removal of unqualified teachers, a new curriculum, and a directive warning schools to employ certified teachers or risk losing WAEC accreditation. While these measures signal long-awaited modernisation, they have been followed by public outcry, confusion, and hurried clarifications, raising doubts about whether the reforms are educationally driven or politically motivated.

One of the most controversial directives requires schools to achieve 75 percent compliance with certified teachers by 2026 and 100 percent by 2027. Teachers without education degrees but with at least 12 months of classroom experience have been asked to enrol in abridged certification programmes at the National Teachers Institute (NTI). However, many teachers complain that the certification costs are unaffordable, while support structures for training and financing remain inadequate. Critics argue that the “announce first, plan later” approach risks undermining the credibility of the reforms.

Private and community schools, which serve millions of children, face even greater strain under these mandates. Proprietors warn that the compulsory CBT for WAEC exams by 2026, teacher shortages in core subjects, and rising costs of operating schools threaten their survival. Many complain of harassment and multiple levies from government agencies, while limited access to affordable loans for expansion has further worsened the situation.

Education stakeholders caution that unless these reforms are matched with strong rollout frameworks, financing strategies, and stakeholder engagement, Nigeria could worsen its education crisis. With some school owners already shutting down and converting facilities into residential apartments, experts fear that the number of out-of-school children—already one of the highest globally—could rise even further, undermining progress toward inclusive education goals.

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