Education in 2025: Reform Efforts Tested by Insecurity, Strikes, Systemic Gaps

As 2025 ends today, Funmi Ogundare writes that the year was characterised by reforms that signalled renewed intent, persistent insecurity, funding gaps and governance weaknesses

The year 2025 emerged as a defining period for Nigeria’s education sector, marked by cautious reforms, persistent challenges and renewed national debate about the future of learning. While the system showed resilience amid policy experimentation and renewed government attention, the year also underscored the urgency for deeper, structural transformation.

One of the most troubling challenges of the outgoing year was insecurity, particularly in parts of northern Nigeria, where banditry, insurgency and communal conflicts continued to disrupt schooling. Recurrent attacks led to school closure, learner displacement and growing fear among parents, teachers and communities.

Following a string of security incidents – including two mass abductions of schoolchildren in Kebbi and Niger States – the federal government ordered the immediate shutdown of 47 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide. Principals of the affected schools, most of them located in northern states, were directed to suspend academic activities and release students with immediate effect.

On November 21, armed men had invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, abducting at least 25 schoolgirls. In a separate incident, 115 students were taken from St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State. During the attack, the vice principal of the school, Hassan Makuku, was shot dead while attempting to protect the students.

Relief came on December 21, when the final group of 115 abducted students from the Papiri school was released, bringing an end to a month-long ordeal. Fifty students had escaped shortly after the abduction, while another 100 were freed on December 8, following sustained security operations.

Beyond insecurity, 2025 also witnessed significant policy interventions in the tertiary education sector. In August, the federal government imposed a seven-year ban on the establishment of new federal tertiary institutions. Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said that the decision, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under President Bola Tinubu, was aimed at halting decay in existing institutions.

According to him, the major challenge facing tertiary education was no longer access but unchecked proliferation, which has strained resources and worsened infrastructure decay.

“We are doing this to further halt decay in tertiary institutions, which may in the future affect the quality of education and consequently cause unemployment of graduates,” Alausa said.

He also directed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to deploy its 2025 intervention funds strictly for the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure rather than the construction of new facilities.

Industrial unrest again unsettled universities. In September, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared a two-week nationwide warning strike across public universities, citing neglect of the university system and the government’s failure to address long-standing demands.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said months of protests and campus rallies had yielded no tangible response from the government.

“Both the federal and state governments have a strong habit of paying little or no attention to the education sector in general and the welfare of university academics in particular,” he said.

Although ASUU later threatened a full withdrawal of services from October 13, the federal government appealed for restraint, promising to resolve outstanding issues. That promise appeared to materialise on December 23 with the signing of an agreement between both parties.

In a memo dated December 24, Piwuna confirmed the development, describing it as a “significant step”, saying that implementation processes were still ongoing and would be reviewed by ASUU’s National Executive Council in February.

Despite these disruptions, education policy remained firmly on the national agenda in 2025. Government efforts focused on aligning education with national development goals, particularly through skills acquisition, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and digital literacy. A major N440 billion skills initiative launched in May, with training programmes commencing in July and August, promised free tuition, monthly stipends, industry-aligned curricula and job linkages in sectors such as construction, oil and gas and green energy.

In August, the Ministry of Education unveiled a future-ready curriculum across all levels of education. According to the ministry’s Press Director, Folasade Boriowo, the curriculum was designed to deliver a stronger, more relevant learning experience. Minister of State for Education, Dr Suwaiba Ahmad, said the review involved key agencies including NERDC, UBEC, NSSEC and NBTE.

Under the new framework, subject load was reduced across levels: primary pupils now offer between nine and 12 subjects, junior secondary students 12 to 14, and senior secondary students eight to nine, while technical school students will take nine to 11 subjects.

Another notable policy shift occurred in November with the de-emphasis of mother-tongue instruction and the reinstatement of English as the sole medium of instruction from pre-primary to tertiary levels. The federal government cancelled the earlier language policy that promoted indigenous languages as the primary medium of teaching.

One of the most consequential developments of the year was the operationalisation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). In 2025, the fund disbursed over N154 billion to support 788,947 students across 262 public tertiary institutions. The Managing Director, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, said that more than N82 billion was paid directly to institutions for tuition, while over N72 billion was released as upkeep allowances of N20,000 monthly per beneficiary.

While public interest in NELFUND remained high, early implementation challenges emerged, including awareness gaps, application bottlenecks and concerns about sustainability and repayment mechanisms. Still, the initiative was widely seen as a potentially transformative intervention for students from low-income backgrounds.

Examination bodies also faced scrutiny. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) grappled with rising candidate numbers, insecurity in some regions and increasingly sophisticated exam malpractice methods. Although the council intensified monitoring and sanctions, the challenges reignited calls for assessment reform and digital examination systems.

Similarly, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) continued to consolidate its computer-based testing framework, enhancing transparency and reducing conventional fraud. However, accessibility challenges, system glitches and regional disparities –  especially in conflict-affected and remote areas – raised concerns about equity and inclusiveness.

In their assessment of the sector in the outgoing year, experts commended the minister for his decisive and effective policy actions. They called for urgent reforms in university governance, regulation and funding in Nigeria, warning that political interference and unchecked proliferation of universities are undermining quality in the sector.

Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of New City University, said while the federal government’s decision to place an embargo on the establishment of new universities was well-intentioned, its implementation remained flawed. He said that the continued granting of licences by the National Universities Commission (NUC) raises questions about the sincerity of the policy.

“The proliferation of universities is affecting quality, but placing a clock in the air is not the answer. You cannot continue to establish universities as if you are opening filling stations,” said Akinfeleye. “Even as we speak, licences are still being granted, under the excuse that applications were already in process.”

The university administrator stressed that both public and private universities must be compelled to meet minimum standards, noting that some institutions are poorly staffed and rely on inexperienced or rejected candidates as professors. He called for a stronger quality control mechanism and the employment of skilled and seasoned academics to drive teaching and research.

Akinfeleye also criticised what he described as excessive regulation and unethical oversight practices, alleging that some oversight and accreditation visits have become avenues for extortion. He urged government agencies to respect university autonomy, warning that overregulation is stifling innovation and effective administration.

On industrial actions, the don argued that the ‘no work, no pay’ policy is inappropriate for the university system, saying that lecturers continue to carry out research and community service even when teaching is suspended.

“Universities are not factories, lecturers are employed to teach, research and render community service. During strikes, they are not teaching, but they are still researching and serving their communities. Once teaching is made up and students are graduated, withholding salaries is an aberration,” Akinfeleye explained.

He further described the government’s demands that universities remit portions of their internally generated revenue or tuition fees to the centre as unorthodox, insisting that institutions should be allowed to manage their resources to sustain operations and development.

Akinfeleye also stressed that the appointment of politicians as pro-chancellors and council chairmen has fuelled crises in many universities. According to him, such appointees often lack understanding of university administration and view institutions as avenues for personal enrichment.

“The pro-chancellor and chairman of council should be an academic who speaks the language of the university,” noted Akinfeleye. “Politicians may serve as chancellors, but governing councils must be led by people with knowledge of university administration, not political manoeuvring.”

He added that the appointment of vice-chancellors must strictly follow the laid-down rules, without arbitrary amendments to qualification requirements, to ensure credibility and stability in leadership.

“Addressing these systemic issues would help restore stability, improve standards and reposition Nigeria’s university system to better serve national development,” Akinfeleye stated.

On curriculum issues, Akinfeleye criticised the de-emphasis on mother-tongue education, warning that neglecting indigenous languages could erode Nigeria’s cultural heritage. He urged policymakers to encourage students to learn and use their local languages alongside other subjects.

Despite his concerns, the don commended the minister of education, saying that he is more decisive and effective than his predecessors. He said the minister’s actions in 2025 showed purpose and courage, and urged the federal government to support him in deepening reforms, particularly in governance, regulation, and quality assurance.

In his submission, a former Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Chief Olawumi Gasper, commended the ongoing reforms in the education sector, describing them as steps in the right direction towards addressing unemployment, skills gaps, and national development.

Gasper stated that a key highlight of the reforms is the national shift towards TVET, which he described as a strategic response to youth unemployment, skills shortages and the need for wealth creation.

According to him, this renewed focus is being driven by the upgrade of Federal Science and Technical Colleges, the expansion of skills training centres across the country’s geopolitical zones, and the introduction of new competency-based curricula.

He added that the adoption of the National Skills Qualification (NSQ) framework and growing partnerships with private-sector employers are critical to ensuring that training programmes are aligned with industry needs and labour market demands.

Beyond TVET, Gasper applauded efforts to streamline the school curriculum by reducing subject overload. He said that introducing fewer subjects at the primary, junior, and senior secondary levels would allow for deeper learning and better mastery of core competencies.

He also welcomed the reintroduction of Nigerian History into the curriculum, describing it as vital for strengthening national identity and civic consciousness among young learners.

“If these reform components and others are properly implemented and guided by intentional leadership, they would significantly transform learning outcomes,” he said, adding that the reforms have the potential to produce a new generation of Nigerian youths equipped with relevant skills and competencies to compete effectively on the global stage, particularly in the fast-evolving 21st-century digital and technology-driven economy.

He urged policymakers and education stakeholders to sustain momentum and ensure consistent execution of the reforms to achieve their long-term objectives.

Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Research, Innovations and Partnerships) at Osun State University, Osogbo, Prof. Anthony Kola-Olusanya, described Nigeria’s education sector in 2025 as standing at a critical crossroads, marked by modest progress but weighed down by deep-rooted structural and governance challenges.

Kola-Olusanya, a professor of Environment and Sustainability, said that although education remains central to national development, the sector continues to struggle with demographic pressures, inadequate infrastructure and systemic inefficiencies that limit its overall impact.

He noted that while access to education has recorded marginal improvements, millions of Nigerian children, particularly those in underserved and conflict-affected regions, are still excluded from quality learning opportunities.

“Overcrowded classrooms, insufficient learning facilities and persistent shortages of qualified teachers have continued to undermine learning outcomes and widen inequality across the system,” said Kola-Olusanya.

He expressed concerns about the quality and relevance of education, stressing that many graduates enter the labour market ill-prepared due to outdated curricula and weak linkages between educational institutions and industry.

The tertiary education sector, Kola-Olusanya added, remains especially fragile. He pointed out frequent industrial actions, severe funding shortfalls and an inconsistent academic calendar as factors eroding public confidence and weakening research, innovation and international competitiveness.

On funding, he observed that while government allocations to education have increased nominally, actual spending remains inadequate and poorly managed, falling short of both national requirements and global benchmarks.

“This continues to constrain meaningful reform and system-wide improvement,” Kola-Olusanya stated, while acknowledging the growing interest in digital and blended learning as a potential pathway for expanding access and improving delivery. He, however, warned that poor infrastructure, unreliable electricity supply and high data costs remain major obstacles to the widespread adoption of technology-driven education.

He also noted that private and non-state actors are increasingly stepping in to address some gaps in the system, but cautioned that issues of affordability, regulation, and quality assurance persist. According to the former deputy vice-chancellor, 2025 presents Nigeria with a defining choice between piecemeal reforms and comprehensive, coordinated action.

“There is a need for sustainable funding, stronger governance structures, teacher professionalisation, relevant and future-oriented curricula, and inclusive digital strategies to translate policy intent into effective implementation,” said Kola-Olusanya. “Without decisive and well-coordinated reforms, education risks becoming an obstacle rather than a catalyst for Nigeria’s development.”