The inaugural meeting of the National Education Quality Assurance Policy Committee has commenced at the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna.
Organised by the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Department under the Federal Ministry of Education, the three-day programme runs from September 2 to 4. The Minister of Education, Mr. Tunji Alausa, formally declared the event open through a representative, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Abel Enitan. Also present were Mr. Ayodele Samson, Director and Coordinating Evaluator of the Federal Education Quality Assurance Office in Kaduna.
On behalf of himself and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, Alausa commended the committee members for their efforts. He described the theme of the gathering—“Improving Education Quality Assurance Policies, Processes, and Practices in Nigeria”—as timely and crucial.
Reading the minister’s remarks, Enitan stressed that Nigeria must now look beyond expanding access to education and instead prioritise quality. He explained that the new committee was not just another bureaucratic body but a strategic intervention designed to make quality assurance central to the country’s education reform agenda.
“Our mission is to refine policies, processes, and practices to strengthen quality in basic and secondary education,” Enitan said. He added that future efforts would focus on harmonising standards, improving monitoring systems, and adopting technology for real-time data analysis to ensure inclusivity, particularly in underserved schools.
Mr. Adegboye Adekunle, Director of the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Department, explained that the establishment of the committee followed extensive consultations, peer reviews, and stakeholder engagement. He outlined key challenges in the sector, including uneven learning outcomes, outdated curricula, teacher welfare issues, and poor infrastructure. Adekunle further highlighted the need to align education with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy.
He noted that the committee’s role would be to provide strategic direction, oversight, and technical leadership in developing and implementing a national framework for quality assurance at all levels of education.
Prof. Sadiya Sani-Daura, Director-General of NTI, in a goodwill message delivered on her behalf by Dr. Kayode Jegede, expressed delight that the institute was chosen as host for the maiden meeting. She said she was confident that the deliberations would produce practical recommendations to strengthen education quality assurance in Nigeria.
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Abubakar Usman-Zaria, head of the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority, while directors of quality assurance from Benue and other states also presented papers.
Stakeholders in attendance included Dr. James Fatakum from FCDO/PLANE, state directors of quality assurance, and other key partners.
The meeting, which opened on Tuesday, is scheduled to conclude on Thursday.