For years now, education in Northern Nigeria has been shaped by gross underfunding, low enrollment, cultural and systemic barriers. But under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a silent yet steady revolution is unfolding; one that may be redefining the educational future of the region.
When you think of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and education, you think of his historic establishment of the national student loan programme, which presently finances the tuition and upkeep of more than 396,000 Nigerian students. What many may not realise is that the majority of young Nigerians benefitting from the programme are Nigerian students of northern extraction who comprise more than 55 per cent of the total beneficiary pool, and by extension, account for over N45 billion of the total of N77 billion disbursed so far by NELFUND.
While this landmark initiative prepares the youth for full participation in the knowledge-based national economy of the future while reducing the immediate financial burden on low income households across the federation, this massive legacy of President Tinubu has taken attention away from several other silent reforms and developments on a mass scale in Northern education, under his watch, that will place the region's students on equal footing with their contemporaries across the globe.
There is an old axiom that says an entity is only as strong as its weakest link. Education access and quality in northern Nigeria has stood as a most central and intractable feature of Nigeria's longstanding developmental quagmire.
Like the threat of the Atlantic's crashing waves and encroaching waters on the shores of Lagos, President Tinubu is now determined to turn another liability into a great national asset.
From tackling the crisis of out-of-school children to establishing skill development centres and modernising policy frameworks, Tinubu's administration is laying the groundwork for an inclusive, modern, and resilient education system in Northern Nigeria.
Before 2023, education in the North was in a precarious state. The region accounted for over 66% of the country's estimated 10.5 million out-of-school children. The Almajiri system lacked oversight and integration into formal learning. Poverty, insecurity, and traditional norms further suppressed school attendance, especially for girls and rural children. Infrastructure deficits, outdated curricula, and limited teacher capacity added to the problem.
Although these challenges were inherited, President Tinubu's administration opted not for quick fixes, but systemic reform. One of the most visible shifts is in infrastructure investment. Over 120 learning centres have been established across all senatorial districts, many equipped with solar power, safe water systems, and furniture marking a foundational step toward functional learning environments.
In partnership with UBEC, 101 Almajiri schools were built or revitalised, with new integrated Tsangaya education centres dotting parts of Bauchi, Niger, Kaduna, and Kano states.
To coordinate these efforts, the administration established the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE). The Commission has already developed the first draft of a national policy on Almajiri education, and inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) for strategic reform.
The proposed Almajiri Health Scheme, introduced by the Federal Ministry of Health, aims to provide health insurance to children enrolled into school making education a path to wellness, not just literacy.
At the heart of Tinubu's strategy are two landmark initiatives - DOTS and NESRI. DOTS focuses on Data, Out-of-school children, Teacher training, and Skills development, while NESRI (National Education System Reform Initiative) drives structural transformation across curricula, learning outcomes, and school management.
These frameworks led to the development of a new Basic Education Curriculum, while the Senior Secondary and NCE curricula are under review. A dual-mode delivery system for NCE and B.Ed. was introduced in federal colleges of education to fast-track teacher capacity. Over 450 Tsangaya teachers have been trained including 200 in Bauchi and 250 in Niger while curriculum review workshops were held in Kaduna and Kano.
Moreover, the UBEC Matching Grant Formula was revised to allow greater flexibility and link disbursements to measurable performance improving fund utilization and supporting EMIS (Education Management Information Systems), quality assurance, and digital learning.
President Tinubu's TVET Transformation Initiative stands out for its practical focus. Launched with 24 priority trades, it provides training in solar installation, electrical work, creative media, digital hardware repair, hospitality, agriculture, and more. The Digital Training Academy, part of this initiative, is particularly targeted at youth in underserved regions including the North.
Courses are not only technical but also forward-looking from Automobile CNG Conversion to Social Media Communication, the curriculum addresses local employability and global relevance. This is matched by the 3MTT (3 million Technical Talent) programme, designed to build a digitally fluent workforce across all 774 LGAs including rural areas of Katsina, Sokoto, and Borno.
The STEMM Advancement Initiative complements this by boosting Nigeria's health and science workforce. Eighteen medical schools spread across all six geopolitical zones received infrastructure upgrades. Nursing student enrollment grew from 81,480 in 2023 to 114,030 in 2025, and accredited nursing institutions increased from 294 to 342.
A strategic agreement with the EU also supports pharmaceutical research and local vaccine production, with six institutions selected to benefit.
Tinubu's administration has notably advanced girl-child education, a longstanding gap in Northern Nigeria. The AGILE project (Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment) was expanded to 11 new states, covering a total of 18 states nationwide.
Additionally, LUMINAH 2030, a new girl-focused initiative, was launched in 12 pilot states (two per geopolitical zone) to further reduce gender disparities in education and build support systems for girls in vulnerable communities.
Beyond physical projects, the administration has driven bold policy reforms. In March 2025, the Quality Education Learning Outcomes Council (QELOC) was launched, with significant progress already made in teacher training and school system improvements. A new National Teacher Training Framework and five EduRevamp modules were developed to build 21st-century skills, while a national leadership curriculum was introduced for school heads.
In an effort to improve student welfare, the Ministry also introduced the National Anti-Bullying Policy, complete with implementation guidelines, in 2025. Meanwhile, through the HOPE-EDU initiative, the government aims to impact 29 million children, 500,000 teachers, and over 65,000 schools, improving access, learning, and system-wide efficiency.
Within the often-ignored story of the region's development, education under President Tinubu stands out as one of the most structured and strategic transformations yet.
From targeted interventions in the Almajiri system to large-scale vocational training and policy reforms, the administration's focus on human capital development is slowly, but surely, rewriting the northern education narrative.
Because of the president's strategic intervention in education, classrooms are returning to life not just with students, but with a purpose. This is in line with the comment of the president that his goal is to 'make education work for all, not some', as some of his most ambitious and myopic critics have erroneously alleged.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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