EDUCATION MINISTER CALLS FOR PPP FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS ..... Inaugurates Committee To Set Up Implementation Guidelines
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| Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa Honourable Minister of Education |
"Fundings from the PPP will help to improve, modernize, advance and sustain our educational system." Alausa.
"We are not oblivious of this significant infrastructure deficit that has been going on in our various institutions, universities and colleges of education."
The Federal Ministry of Education, under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, on Friday in Abuja, revealed plans to improve and upscale facilities and infrastructure of schools at the Basic and Secondary levels of education in the country.
To achieve this, the Minister inaugurated a Committee for the Drafting of the PPP Guidelines and Implementation. The inauguration took place in Minister's Conference Room, at the Headquarters of the Ministry.
At the ceremony, Dr Tunji Alausa in his address, disclosed that there was the need to rehabilitate the infrastructure and facilities in schools which require attention.
Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa noted that the task of reviving the dilapidated facilities and infrastructure cannot be borne by the government alone, and therefore called for support through Public Private Partnerships which will aid the budgetary provisions of the government.
According to the Minister, "fundings from the PPP will help to improve, modernize, advance and sustain our educational system.
"We are not oblivious of this significant infrastructure deficit that has been going on in our various institutions, universities and colleges of education."
He noted that interventions from TETFund has been commendable through injection of funding from the private sector in the tertiary sectors.
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| Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa with some members of the committee |
Alausa however, expressed concerns on the fate of Unity Schools in the country as against the indication of interest by people in developing relationships, concessioning and the managing of some of our federal tertiary institutions.
According to the Minister, "if you go around all these unity colleges, they have not seen any significant investment in infrastructures. Some of these Unity schools don't have water. The condition is a problem."
He however revealed that the President, in response to addressing the issues, approved a significant amount of money in the 2025 Budget for extensive infrastructure improvement in colleges that covers areas of improvements in classrooms, physical infrastructure improvements of the buildings, security operators of the office, as well as electrification of the school by installing several solar community grids at the schools.
"For the problem to be adequately tackled, there is need to be innovative and be creative, which led to the setting up of the committee." Alausa said.
He therefore, urged the Committee which will be headed by the Minister of State for Education, to think outside the box to get the initiative right.
"We can't continue to do the same thing and expect different results if you have to improve," the Minister stated.
Dr Alausa tasked the Committee to come up with clear guidelines on the PPP arrangement even as he thanked them for accepting the assignment.
He outlined the terms of reference for the committee to include:
* To develop a minimum benchmark of the PPP project requirements, in the education sector, taking cognizance of all benefits to FME/FGN
* Review Existing Frameworks: Examine current PPP policies, legal frameworks, and best practices in Nigeria and internationally
* Identify gaps in the recently adopted checklist/ step-by-step guide for PPP projects in the education sector and recommend necessary amendments
* Identify stakeholders in a PPP project. Define roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, including FME, private sector partners, and regulatory bodies
* Define Evaluation Metrics: Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for monitoring the performance and impact of PPP projects
* Propose mechanisms for periodic review and updates to the guidelines.
Other members of the committee are Director, Special Duties Department (DSD); Director Legal, Director Procurement, Director Basic Education, Director Senior Secondary Education.
Also in the committee are representative from the office of HME; representative from the office of HMSE; representative from the office of the PSE; representative from ICRC; representative from Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Deputy Director (PPP).
For the secretariat, two officers from the Department of Special Duties, Baridi Kagior and Aguma Nkiruka, will take charge.
The Committee has a three months period to submit its report
In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, who was represented at the inauguration, said that the PPP collaboration will provide viable solutions to the existing infrastructural problems.
The Permanent Secretary noted that the PPP initiative will unlock funding for the infrastructural development in the schools.
Director, Senior Secondary Education, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir whole speaking on behalf of the members of the Committee, appreciated the Honourable Minister for his insight and driving transformation in the education sector.
According to her, "the PPP arrangement will go a long way to reform secondary schools."
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| Second from right, Mrs Folashade Boriowo, Director Information and Public Relations alongside other top officers of the Ministry during the inauguration ceremony |
"Setting up the Committee is a welcome development. This assignment will not be taken for granted." She said.
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