The Federal Government has declared that the era of corruption and impunity in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions is over, warning that strict measures will now be enforced to ensure transparency, accountability and ethical leadership across the sector.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made this declaration on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking at a retreat organised by the Conference of Heads of Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and similar institutions. The retreat brought together governing council chairmen, commissioners of education, rectors, registrars and bursars from across the country.
The event was held under the theme, “Transforming Polytechnic Education in Nigeria: Innovation, Good Governance and Sustainability for National Development.” It focused on the challenges facing polytechnics and colleges of education, as well as the reforms needed to make them more relevant to Nigeria’s development needs.
Speaking at the retreat, Dr Alausa said the Federal Government would no longer tolerate financial recklessness, abuse of office or unethical behaviour in tertiary institutions. He stressed that public trust in the education system must be restored through openness and responsible leadership.
“The era of impunity in our institutions is over,” the minister said. “We demand fiscal discipline, timely audits and zero tolerance for corruption in order to build public trust and attract investment.”
He charged governing councils and management teams to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability. According to him, leaders of tertiary institutions must avoid conflicts of interest, manage public funds prudently and ensure that appointments and promotions are based on merit.
Beyond the issue of governance, the minister called for a complete transformation of polytechnic education in Nigeria. He described polytechnics as key drivers of innovation and practical skills that are critical to national growth.
“Polytechnics are not just schools,” Alausa said. “They are places where ideas meet practice, where skills support economic growth, and where sustainable development becomes real for our nation.”
He explained that the Federal Ministry of Education is placing renewed focus on technical and vocational education and training. The goal, he said, is to ensure that graduates of polytechnics are well equipped with practical skills that match the needs of industry.
“We have adopted a policy that ensures our polytechnic graduates are industry-ready,” the minister said. “They must be innovative problem-solvers who can help drive national development.”
Dr Alausa urged leaders of polytechnics to make innovation a central part of their institutions. He encouraged them to promote entrepreneurship, strengthen research activities and build strong partnerships with industries.
“Innovation must be the heartbeat of our polytechnics,” he said. “You should support entrepreneurship centres, research hubs and industry partnerships that can turn ideas into products and create jobs for our people.”
He identified key sectors where polytechnics should focus their training and research. These include renewable energy, agricultural technology, digital manufacturing and solutions that can help Nigeria adapt to climate change.
The minister also spoke on funding challenges facing polytechnics. He called on institutions to develop sustainable funding models by increasing their Internally Generated Revenue and reducing dependence on imported equipment and materials.
While acknowledging problems such as inadequate funding, outdated facilities and the preference for university education over technical skills, Dr Alausa said the government remains committed to supporting polytechnics.
“Under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, we are committed to policy reforms, infrastructure upgrades and strong partnerships,” he said.
He also announced that the government would roll out a special intervention through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to upgrade engineering schools in polytechnics with modern equipment. He noted that similar interventions had been carried out in medical colleges last year.
The minister urged participants at the retreat to return to their institutions and put into practice the ideas and principles discussed, adding that real change must begin at the institutional level.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and similar institutions, Dr Sani Tunga, described the retreat as timely. He said polytechnic education plays a vital role in Nigeria’s development, especially in the area of skills training.
According to Tunga, polytechnics and colleges of technology are important for producing skilled and entrepreneurial workers needed to diversify the economy, reduce unemployment and meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Our polytechnics stand at the forefront of producing skilled, innovative and entrepreneurial manpower,” he said.
However, he noted that the sector faces several challenges. These include inadequate funding, outdated infrastructure, changing industry needs, weak governance structures and sustainability issues.
Tunga also pointed out frequent conflicts within the system, particularly between governing councils and management, as well as between management and staff unions such as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).
He said these conflicts are often caused by disagreements over policy interpretation, allocation of resources and staff welfare. According to him, such disputes disrupt academic activities and slow down progress.
Tunga stressed the need for continuous dialogue among key stakeholders, including council chairmen, commissioners, rectors, registrars and bursars, to resolve issues peacefully and move the system forward.
He said the retreat was designed to find new ways to improve curriculum development, strengthen research and industry partnerships, enhance governance and accountability, improve financial sustainability and address the root causes of conflicts.
Linking polytechnic education to national development, Tunga said a strong technical education system would empower youths, promote local production and support Nigeria’s economic growth.
“The transformation we seek is not just about institutions,” he said. “It is about the nation. A vibrant polytechnic sector will help Nigeria become a technological and economic powerhouse.”
In his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof Idris Bugaje, said ongoing reforms mark a turning point for technical and polytechnic education in Nigeria.
Bugaje explained that technical education existed in Nigeria before university education but suffered neglect after independence, especially after the civil war, when universities were given more attention.
He highlighted the imbalance in the system, noting that Nigeria currently has only 153 technical colleges compared to over 15,000 senior secondary schools.
“We were really struggling to survive in an unfriendly system,” he said.
According to Bugaje, the situation has begun to improve in the last two years due to reforms introduced by the current Minister of Education.
“Until the last two years, we have started seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “NBTE is being reinvented and strengthened because of these reforms.”
