By Kwin Israel, The Sight News
The Federal Government has proposed a major shift in Nigeria’s tertiary education system, targeting 80 per cent practical training and 20 per cent theoretical instruction to equip graduates with relevant skills, improve employability and bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry demands.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, disclosed this on Thursday while representing the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, at the 2026 National Town Hall Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, held in Abuja.
She said the proposed reform would replace the existing curriculum model of 70 per cent theory and 30 per cent practical training with a more hands-on approach, particularly in technical and vocational programmes. According to her, the curriculum review has produced 33 new and reviewed National Diploma and Higher National Diploma curricula, three National Certificate in Education curricula and 31 National Occupational Standards.
Prof. Ahmad stressed that investments in infrastructure, laboratory equipment and staff development must be matched with relevant curricula to ensure students acquire practical competencies. She said the reforms were designed to make tertiary education more responsive to technological advancement, industry requirements and national development priorities, particularly in areas such as agriculture, agribusiness, food production and post-harvest management.
The proposed reform comes amid a substantial increase in TETFund’s funding, which rose from 320.3 billion naira in 2023 to 683.4 billion naira in 2024 and 1.6 trillion naira in 2025.
In his welcome remarks, Chairman of the Fund’s Board of Trustees, Aminu Bello Masari, said the increased allocations reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to human capital development, adding that the resources must translate into improved educational outcomes, stronger research capacity and better-equipped graduates. He urged beneficiary institutions to ensure transparency, prudent financial management and proper maintenance of facilities.
Masari also disclosed that approximately 6.09 billion naira had been approved for 174 successful research proposals under the 2025 National Research Fund grant cycle. He said TETFund was advancing the establishment of six central multipurpose laboratories across the country’s geopolitical zones, while presidential approval had been secured for six additional Centres of Excellence in robotics, coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cybersecurity.
The new centres, when established, will increase the number of TETFund-supported Centres of Excellence to 36.
In his remarks, TETFund Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, said more than 480 projects across beneficiary institutions were ready for commissioning, with 14 projects scheduled for inauguration at the Federal University of Aeronautics, Ezia, on Friday. He also highlighted the Fund’s Student Innovation Fund, which supports students with promising ideas through prototype development, intellectual property protection and connections with industries to facilitate commercialisation.
Echono added that TETFund was supporting student transportation in 42 institutions, expanding access to digital learning resources and extending skills development opportunities to artisans and other workers outside the formal education system. He said the initiatives were intended to strengthen innovation, improve access to education and equip young Nigerians with skills needed to contribute to national economic growth.
Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Aliyu Zakari-Jiya, urged tertiary institutions to match increased government investment with accountability, effective management and measurable improvements in teaching, research and graduate quality. He stressed that investment in education must go beyond the construction of buildings to include well-equipped laboratories and workshops, research facilities, academic development and improved student welfare.
The SGF also expressed concern over reports that some institutions had delayed accessing funds already allocated to them, describing the situation as avoidable. He called on governing councils and institutional managers to ensure the timely utilisation of funds, proper maintenance of facilities and transparent reporting of project outcomes.
He added that the impact of TETFund’s interventions should ultimately be measured by the quality of education delivered and the skills and capabilities Nigerian institutions develop.
The meeting, themed “Investing in Nigeria’s Future: Tertiary Education, Human Capital and National Development,” also featured a call for stronger accountability in the management of public education funds. The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with TETFund, regulatory agencies, tertiary institutions, the private sector and development partners to promote demand-driven research, digital transformation, inclusive education and sustainable institutional development.
