The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that no qualified Nigerian is denied access to higher education because of financial constraints, saying ongoing reforms and massive investments in the tertiary education sector are making university education more accessible to students from all backgrounds.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance during a meeting with members of the National Committee for the Advancement of Occupational Therapy, Audiology and Speech and Language Therapy Education, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.
Alausa said President Bola Tinubu's administration had placed human capital development at the centre of its education agenda by introducing policies aimed at eliminating financial obstacles that previously prevented many young Nigerians from pursuing tertiary education.
According to him, students from low-income families now have greater opportunities to access higher education without financial hardship becoming an insurmountable barrier.
"This President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has opened up access to students so that not having money, or coming from an indigent family, or your parents being poor, will no longer stop you from achieving the opportunities you can achieve in life. Education is no longer a barrier for students in this country," the minister said.
He added that the administration was committed to equipping young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to national development and compete globally.
Highlighting government interventions in the sector, Alausa disclosed that more than ₦1tn had been invested in tertiary education infrastructure and institutional development over the last two years.
He said ₦250bn had been earmarked for the construction of new student hostels, while over ₦150bn was being used to rehabilitate hostels, classrooms, engineering workshops and other academic facilities across public tertiary institutions.
The minister further revealed that the government had invested more than ₦130bn in upgrading medical schools and expanding their training capacity. In addition, ₦52bn was approved for the procurement of modern equipment for 18 medical schools, while nearly ₦30bn was committed to establishing 11 medical simulation laboratories to improve practical clinical training.
He also disclosed that almost ₦110bn had been invested in engineering education through the construction and rehabilitation of workshops as well as the provision of modern equipment for universities and polytechnics offering engineering programmes.
Alausa described the interventions as one of the most significant investments ever made in Nigeria's tertiary education sector, noting that they would strengthen teaching, research, innovation and the production of highly skilled graduates capable of supporting the country's industrial and economic development.
He said the Ministry of Education would continue collaborating with tertiary institutions and other stakeholders to ensure the reforms deliver improved learning outcomes and expand opportunities for students nationwide.
Earlier, the Chairman of the National Committee for the Advancement of Occupational Therapy, Audiology and Speech and Language Therapy Education, Dr Victoria Omua Amu, briefed the minister on the committee's progress.
She said the committee had developed a one-year implementation plan, established a governance framework and created specialised subcommittees to drive advocacy, academic collaboration and manpower development in the three professional fields.
According to Amu, six universities currently run Audiology programmes, while five offer Occupational Therapy and three provide Speech and Language Therapy. She added that the University of Benin would commence an Occupational Therapy programme in the 2026/2027 academic session.
She, however, identified delays in the release of TETFund support as a major challenge affecting the committee's implementation plans.
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