The Federal Government has announced a decisive clampdown on corruption and impunity across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector, insisting that transparency, accountability and ethical leadership will now be strictly enforced.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, made the declaration on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing participants at a retreat organised by the Conference of Heads of Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and similar institutions. The event brought together council chairmen, commissioners of education, rectors, registrars and bursars.
Speaking on the theme, “Transforming Polytechnic Education in Nigeria: Innovation, Good Governance and Sustainability for National Development,” Alausa warned that financial recklessness, abuse of office and unethical conduct would no longer be tolerated in tertiary institutions.
According to him, governing councils and management teams must embrace fiscal discipline, ensure timely audits and operate with zero tolerance for corruption to restore public confidence and attract investment into the sector.
He urged institutional leaders to prioritise transparency, accountability and merit-based appointments, while avoiding conflicts of interest and ensuring prudent management of resources.
Beyond governance reforms, the minister stressed the need for a holistic transformation of polytechnic education, describing innovation and sustainability as critical drivers of national development.
Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education was revitalising technical and vocational education and training to ensure graduates possess practical, industry-relevant skills capable of driving economic growth.
He called on polytechnic administrators to place innovation at the core of their operations by strengthening entrepreneurship centres, research hubs and partnerships with industry, noting that such efforts would translate ideas into viable products and job-creating enterprises.
The minister identified renewable energy, agricultural technology, digital manufacturing and climate-resilient solutions as priority areas for research and training, while also encouraging institutions to explore sustainable funding models, boost internally generated revenue and reduce dependence on imports.
Although he acknowledged long-standing challenges such as funding shortfalls, obsolete infrastructure and societal bias against technical education, Alausa assured stakeholders of continued government support under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He also announced a special intervention by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to upgrade engineering schools in polytechnics with modern equipment, following similar interventions in medical colleges.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and similar institutions, Dr Sani Tunga, described the retreat as timely, given the strategic role of polytechnic education in national development.
Tunga said polytechnics and colleges of technology were essential for producing skilled and entrepreneurial manpower needed to diversify the economy, reduce unemployment and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He, however, noted persistent challenges, including inadequate funding, outdated infrastructure, governance gaps and recurring conflicts between governing councils, management and staff unions.
He stressed the importance of continuous dialogue among stakeholders to resolve disputes and strengthen institutional harmony, adding that the retreat was designed to promote innovative curricula, stronger industry linkages, improved governance, financial sustainability and conflict resolution.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, Prof Idris Bugaje, described ongoing reforms as a turning point for technical and polytechnic education after decades of neglect.
Bugaje noted that despite predating university education in Nigeria, technical education had suffered marginalisation, resulting in a severe imbalance in the education system. He said recent reforms under the current education minister had begun to reverse the trend, restoring relevance and confidence in the sector.
The retreat brought together key actors in Nigeria’s technical and polytechnic education system to chart a new course toward skills-driven national development, amid renewed efforts to address underfunding, outdated curricula, weak industry linkages and declining public trust.
