Senate considers increased funding for unity colleges, armed forces schools as bill passes second reading

A bill searching for to amend the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act to strengthen the administration and funding of federal unity schools and armed forces senior secondary schools has handed second reading within the Senate.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, introduced the passage throughout Tuesday’s plenary after the bill acquired majority help in a voice vote.

After its passage, the bill was referred to the Senate Committees on Primary and Secondary Education for additional legislative scrutiny and public listening to.

Sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, the bill seeks to strengthen the administration, coordination and funding of public senior secondary schools throughout the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It additionally proposes a authorized framework for direct authorities intervention to deal with infrastructure deficits and shortages of studying sources in public senior secondary schools.

Leading the talk on the bill, Mr Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) stated the proposed amendments had been meant to enhance senior secondary schooling past the institution of a nationwide fee.

He stated the bill seeks to advertise clear funding mechanisms, present enough infrastructure, and guarantee certified directors are appointed in public senior secondary schools.

“The significance of this Bill lies in its recognition that improving senior secondary education requires more than the establishment of a national commission. It requires effective institutional arrangements at the State and FCT levels, transparent funding mechanisms, appropriate infrastructure, qualified administrators and sustained coordination among the different levels of government,” he stated.

Mr Bamidele stated the proposed amendments would determine Federal Unity Colleges and Armed Forces Senior Secondary Schools for direct intervention to deal with their infrastructure and learning-resource wants.

“By identifying Federal Unity Colleges and Armed Forces Senior Secondary Schools for direct intervention, it also seeks to address the infrastructure and learning-resource needs of these institutions within the proposed statutory framework,” he stated.

He, nevertheless, famous that the profitable implementation of the proposed amendments would rely on clear operational pointers and efficient coordination between the fee and different related authorities.

He additionally pressured the necessity for clear allocation standards, efficient monitoring and monetary accountability to make sure the prudent use of public funds.

“The future of Nigeria depends substantially on the quality of education available to our young people. We cannot aspire to national development, technological advancement and global competitiveness without investing in the institutions that prepare our children for the responsibilities and opportunities of the future,” he stated.

Mr Bamidele described the bill as a step in direction of strengthening the authorized and administrative framework for public senior secondary schooling, enhancing entry to instructional infrastructure and enhancing accountability.

Debate

Most senators who contributed to the talk supported the bill, highlighting the necessity for higher funding, improved college administration, and reforms to the secondary schooling curriculum.

The Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), stated a coordinated, adequately funded secondary schooling system would strengthen Nigeria’s schooling sector.

He argued that the proposed amendments, if enacted, would assist make schooling extra accessible to Nigerians, no matter their location.

Diket Plang, who represents Plateau Central Senatorial District, stated the bill would promote uniformity in secondary college administration and requirements.

Similarly, Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe North) referred to as for a evaluation of the secondary college curriculum to include expertise and Artificial Intelligence topics.

Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) proposed sanctions for states with excessive numbers of out-of-school youngsters.

Nigerian public senior secondary schools at a look

The proposed modification comes at a time when issues about insufficient funding, dilapidated infrastructure, shortages of tutorial supplies, and uneven studying outcomes in Nigeria’s public secondary schools persist.

Although the federal and state governments have launched insurance policies and establishments to enhance entry to high quality schooling, many public schools nonetheless battle to supply conducive studying environments, enough educating sources, and the talents wanted to organize college students for additional schooling and employment.

A current report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Public Finance for Basic Education in Nigeria, recognized continual underfunding as a significant factor contributing to poor entry to schooling and weak studying outcomes. The report stated authorities expenditure on schooling declined from 9.3 per cent of complete authorities spending in 2015 to three.6 per cent in 2023, effectively beneath the worldwide benchmark of 15 to twenty per cent.

The report additionally highlighted vital studying gaps amongst enrolled college students. In 2022, 86 per cent of pupils in Junior Secondary School 2 didn’t attain minimal proficiency in arithmetic, in accordance with assessments cited by UNICEF and the Universal Basic Education Commission.

In June 2025, the Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), Iyela Ajayi, stated insufficient funding limited the fee’s means to deal with infrastructure deficits, shortages of tutorial supplies, and gaps in human-resource improvement.

He stated the fee had but to obtain the statutory allocation of a minimum of two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund offered for underneath the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act, 2023.

The Act mandated the fee to prescribe and implement minimal requirements for senior secondary schooling and supply federal intervention to deal with infrastructure gaps in Federal Unity Colleges, the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. It additionally offers for a devoted fund to help college infrastructure, tutorial supplies, laboratory gear, trainer improvement and different instructional wants.

Controversy over concession of federal unity schools

The debate over how finest to finance and handle public schools sparked controversy in September after the federal authorities determined to concede the administration of King’s College, Lagos, to its Old Boys Association.

The proposed association triggered opposition from schooling employees and fogeys, who raised issues in regards to the implications for public possession, authorities funding, employees welfare and the long run administration of the nation’s Federal Unity Colleges.

The dispute escalated when the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) directed its members to boycott the resumption of schools for the brand new tutorial session. At the identical time, dad and mom and guardians additionally opposed the association. The industrial motion disrupted the reopening of Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.

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The disagreement centred on the federal government’s plan to switch duty for financing, rehabilitating, modernising, working and sustaining King’s College to the Old Boys Association underneath a concession settlement. The Federal Ministry of Education directed the handover after the settlement concluded, with a transition committee anticipated to supervise the method.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, maintained that the association didn’t quantity to the sale of the varsity. He stated the federal authorities would retain authorized possession and oversight of the establishment and dominated out plans to promote or concede different Federal Unity Colleges. The authorities additionally assured stakeholders that the association wouldn’t enhance college charges past the relevant federal coverage or outcome within the lack of academics’ jobs.

However, the assurances didn’t instantly resolve the dispute. Following discussions between the federal government and organised labour, implementation of the concession was placed on maintain for a evaluation of the settlement.

In late September, the ASCSN suspended its industrial motion to permit a seven-member committee, together with labour representatives, to look at the concession doc and deal with the issues raised by employees.