President Bola Tinubu’s administration has faced numerous obstacles in the Education sector during his first year in office. These challenges include financial difficulties, unsuccessful student loan bill and increased incidents of school and student violence. A significant issue faced during Tinubu’s tenure is the sharp rise in tuition fees across educational institutions. School fees at numerous tertiary institutions, specifically universities, have recently skyrocketed by more than 100 percent, with some experiencing hikes of over 200 percent. This drastic increase has led to widespread protests among university students, who are calling on both the federal government and school management to lower the fees.
The tuition fees for students attending federal government colleges were raised, with no exceptions made by the government. At the same time, certain universities defended the fee hike by citing current economic conditions and the necessity of fulfilling responsibilities towards students and staff. The Federal Ministry of Education clarified that the increase in fees was necessary to cover expenses related to accommodation and utilities at these institutions. On June 12, 2023, Tinubu introduced the Students Loans Bill into law, with the aim of bringing relief to the economic struggles and rising school fees.
ASUU voiced disapproval of the Students Loans Bill.
This proposed bill aimed to provide financial assistance to underprivileged students in public colleges through government loans for their tuition fees. Unfortunately, almost twelve months later, there has been no progress in implementing the legislation. Numerous Nigerians, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have voiced their disapproval of the bill, deeming it unnecessary. The government’s actions towards defunding public universities were criticized by the union, who accused them of systematically abandoning education funding. After the failure to implement the bill, Tinubu stepped up in action March 14 by urging the National Assembly to repeal and re-enact the Student Loan bill.
Attacks on schools and the Kidnapping of students are a significant concern nationwide. Nigeria has experienced a troubling increase in armed assaults on educational facilities, and the kidnapping of students has emerged as a particularly critical problem, especially during Tinubu’s initial year, showing no signs of decreasing in the near future. There have been numerous cases of Nigerian students being kidnapped while traveling to school or on school grounds, with more than 200 reported as missing. One notable incident occurred in March 2024, when a group of armed individuals targeted Kuriga primary and Secondary School in Kaduna State and abducted 137 students.
Majority of education budget allocated towards wages.
For yet another year, Nigeria fell short of UNESCO’s recommended standard for education funding, as President Tinubu allocated a mere 5.98 percent of the 2024 budget to the sector. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommends that countries allocate at least 15 to 20 percent of their National Budget to education, a benchmark that Nigeria has consistently failed to reach. Analysis of the recently approved budget for 2024 showed that education received ₦1.59 trillion, which is equivalent to 5.5 percent of the total budget of ₦28.77 trillion.
Meanwhile, out of the total budget for the ministry of education, funds totalling ₦480 billion was allocated for capital projects, which is equivalent to 30.3% of the budget. The overhead budget is set at 4.5%, amounting to ₦72.1 billion. Personnel costs have been allocated slightly over a trillion Naira, accounting for 65.2% of the ministry’s budget. As a result, the majority of the funds are allocated towards employee wages, leaving only a small portion for Infrastructure improvements.
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Despite the president’s numerous pledges during his campaign and speeches after being elected, the education sector has not seen any major improvement in funding. Tinubu made a bold move to support the Academic Staff Union and their academic activities in October 2023. By waiving the Federal Government’s No Work, No Pay Policy and releasing four months’ worth of Salaries that had been withheld by the previous administration, he ensured that ASUU members could focus on their work without interruption. ASUU frequently goes on strike due to unresolved issues with the Federal Government, such as the government’s failure to fulfill a 2009 agreement with the lecturers.