Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa on Wednesday said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is intensifying efforts to expand non‑formal learning as a pathway to job creation and youth empowerment.
Dr. Alausa who stated this during a special plenary session at the Education World Forum in London moderated by Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh – outlined President Tinubu government’s strategy for the education sector.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communication Attah Ikharo said, the session brought together provincial and international education officials, including Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra, Raquel Teixeira, education secretary for Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and Andrea Chakma of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation.
Minister Alausa described a suite of programmes by the administration aim at out‑of‑school children, vulnerable adults and marginalized communities, saying the initiatives bridge literacy gaps, provide vocational and technical instruction, and link participants to the formal economy.
“We have a lot of out‑of‑school children; we have to find a way that we can quickly get them a kind of non‑formal education,” he said.
Among the measures announced by the Minister were an accelerated basic‑education curriculum designed to align non‑formal learners with school standards; a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) flagship programmes offering tuition‑free vocational training, stipends, and startup support.
The also include a national policy on skills development that emphasizes hands‑on training, digital literacy, and flexible learning pathways.
The Minister said the initiatives also include a programme targeting the Almajiri system—traditional Quranic schooling—in, which basic education and vocational training are integrated.
He said entrepreneurial training and digital‑skills instruction have been incorporated across programs so participants gain “skills for the present and skills for the future.”
The Education Minister said the Tinubu administration is pursuing both in‑school and out‑of‑school interventions, adding that many young Nigerians receive non‑formal learning while still enrolled in formal schools to broaden their employability.
Minister Alausa praised the Duke of Edinburgh’s visit to Nigeria in November 2025 and reaffirmed Nigeria’s participation in the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
