The Federal Government has inaugurated a ministerial implementation committee to fast-track Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools across the country, while also moving to phase out the policy separating Junior Secondary Schools from Senior Secondary Schools.
Education Minister, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced the decisions in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.
He said the committee was set up to ensure that government-funded basic education projects are not only completed but made fully operational for learning.
“The performance of this committee will be measured by the number of schools that become fully operational and actively educating our children,” Alausa said. “Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, education remains a strategic national priority, and every intervention must deliver measurable outcomes.”
The minister said the Smart Schools initiative is designed to equip learners with digital skills for the modern economy, while the Bilingual Schools programme will promote linguistic inclusion, improve learning outcomes and strengthen national integration.
“The Smart Schools initiative is about preparing our children for the digital future, while Bilingual Schools will promote inclusion and national integration through improved learning outcomes,” he said.
On Alternative Schools, Alausa said the programme is targeted at vulnerable and underserved children, especially girls and out-of-school children.
He expressed concern that many UBEC-funded school projects across the country remain incomplete or have yet to commence academic activities despite significant public investment.
“We cannot continue to invest public resources in schools that are not functioning,” the minister said. “This committee must work with UBEC, state governments and other stakeholders to ensure timely completion of projects, provision of furniture and essential utilities, deployment of teachers, enrolment of learners and full operationalisation of every school.”
Alausa also announced that the Federal Government would phase out the disarticulation policy separating junior and senior secondary schools, saying the arrangement has led to overcrowded junior secondary schools, underused senior secondary facilities and increased school dropouts.
“The current separation of Junior Secondary Schools from Senior Secondary Schools has created avoidable pressure on facilities and contributed to dropouts. We are determined to reverse that,” he said.
He added that the proposal would be presented at the next National Council on Education as part of wider reforms to improve access and learning outcomes nationwide.
Speaking at the event, UBEC Executive Secretary, Hajiya Aisha Garba, said 37 Smart Schools have been established nationwide, with 24 already operational, while 30 Bilingual Schools are being implemented in nine states under the UBEC-Islamic Development Bank partnership.
She described the committee as “a strategic mechanism for strengthening implementation, accountability and sustainability” in the delivery of basic education projects.
Garba added that the Alternative Schools Programme is expanding access to education for out-of-school children through flexible and inclusive learning models.
Chairman of the committee, Professor Rashid Adewumi Aderinoye, assured that members would discharge their responsibilities with integrity and professionalism.
“We will work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure that government investments translate into sustainable, fully functional schools that improve learning outcomes for every Nigerian child,” he said.