Education Minister Backs Tinubu for 2027 Re-election Based on Achievements

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu for a second term. He based his call on Tinubu's performance over the last three and a half years.

"There are clear achievements that President Bola Tinubu has made in changing this country for the better. Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu has done incredibly well for this country. He has improved every sector and deserves to be re-elected on January 16, 2027," Mr Alausa said.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, which was watched by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Alausa highlighted that Nigeria now has over $55 billion in foreign reserves, a stable exchange rate, and a GDP growth of nearly 4.43 percent. He also mentioned that states are now able to pay salaries.

Despite the minister's praise, many Nigerians still face tough challenges due to the administration’s policies. The economic gains often mentioned by officials have not reached ordinary Nigerians. Many residents have protested against these difficulties.

In his Independence Day speech, President Tinubu acknowledged the heavy economic burden on citizens. He noted that the reforms were tough and had real side effects.

But he insisted that the tough measures were meant to correct the country’s direction. He emphasized the government's main goal over the past three years was to improve Nigeria's future.

Mr Alausa said that the Tinubu administration’s renewed hope agenda achieved 100 percent in the education sector. He mentioned several educational policies, including the student loan scheme and the Inspired Live initiative that reaches remote areas.

He also spoke about the Federal Ministry of Education’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training initiative. "We’ve made a significant increase in salaries. We call it CATA: Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances. Over 500 billion has been injected into the economy through stable tertiary education."

"We have significant funds from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, around N370 billion, with about N192 billion going to student stipends. Now, students are in school all year round," the minister said.

Still, the issue of out-of-school children continues in Nigeria. Mr Alausa disagreed with UNICEF's figures on out-of-school children. UNICEF estimates between 15 million to 17.5 million children are not in school, a number Mr Alausa disputes.

He argued that there are only about eight million out-of-school children, claiming that 1.2 million children have been taken off the streets through various interventions.

He mentioned the National Bureau of Statistics will conduct a general household survey to count out-of-school children starting in January 2026. "I can tell you by the end, we’ll have about eight million out-of-school children," the minister added.

Meanwhile, student abductions during President Tinubu’s time have disrupted school schedules across the country. In November 2025, terrorists kidnapped 25 schoolgirls from Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State and killed two teachers.

In the same month, terrorists attacked St Mary’s School in Niger State, taking 265 students and staff members. Following these events, the federal government shut down all Unity Schools, and many state governors halted school activities.

In September, students and staff of Federal Unity Schools in Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu states missed school due to a strike by education unions that delayed the start of the 2026/2027 academic year. Public schools in Abuja also faced disruptions as workers went on indefinite strike.

Dozens of students and teachers kidnapped in May and June in Borno State are still missing. The first abduction happened in Mussa, while 39 students and seven teachers were taken from three schools in Oyo State.

While the Oyo students were released after 57 days, those from Borno remain in captivity. Parents have accused the federal government of not responding equally to the crisis.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that over 2,000 students have been kidnapped in about 30 mass abductions, showing that school kidnappings have sadly become a common issue in Nigeria.