Chidoka Commends Alausa’s Education Reforms, Says Data-Driven Policy Could Reshape Nigeria’s Future
E-ISSN:2354-4481
By Oluchi Uchendu Joy
Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has commended ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s education sector under the supervision of the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, describing them as potentially transformative. He noted that the increasing adoption of data-driven policymaking could significantly influence the country’s long-term development trajectory.
Chidoka made the remarks following the National Stakeholders Meeting on the National Education Data Infrastructure held in Abuja, stressing that education should be prioritized above all other forms of infrastructure due to its direct impact on human capital development.
He stated that investments in other infrastructure, while important, can be delayed, but education cannot, warning that delays in policy action continue to have irreversible consequences on millions of Nigerian children, particularly those already out of school.
According to him, Nigeria’s estimated 15 million out-of-school children represent a critical national challenge, adding that each year of inaction further reduces the possibility of reintegrating many of them into the formal education system.
The former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) described the newly introduced Nigeria Education Management Information System—developed in collaboration with Ernst & Young—as one of the most significant governance tools currently being deployed in the education sector.
He explained that the platform provides comprehensive national education data, including enrolment figures, school infrastructure details, and teacher-to-student ratios across all states, making it easier for policymakers to assess and compare performance indicators.
Chidoka further noted that two key insights from the system stood out during the stakeholder engagement. The first was the significant drop in student numbers between primary school completion and entry into junior secondary school, highlighting a worrying rate of school dropout at that transition stage.
He also pointed to disparities between first-time and repeat candidates in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations, describing it as evidence of systemic admission bottlenecks affecting access to tertiary education.
He said these findings helped clarify the policy direction of the education ministry, particularly its efforts to expand access and reduce pressure on existing tertiary admission pathways.
“Too many qualified young Nigerians are trapped in a narrow admission pipeline year after year. With access to this data, the rationale behind ongoing reforms becomes clearer,” he noted.
Chidoka added that the availability of real-time, credible education data is already reshaping governance in the sector, replacing speculation and assumptions with measurable evidence.
“That is the power of credible, real-time data. It does not merely inform policy; it challenges long-held assumptions,” he stated.
He further disclosed that the Nigeria Research and Education Network (NgREN), where he is involved, is working to provide digital connectivity and services to tertiary institutions within the year, with plans to extend similar infrastructure to secondary schools beginning in 2027.
While noting that these developments may not yet dominate public discourse, he said a significant transformation is quietly underway within the education sector, driven by data and evidence-based planning.
Chidoka urged other sectors of government to adopt similar evidence-based approaches, emphasizing that the growing availability of structured and accessible data has the potential to significantly improve national planning and governance outcomes.
