Photo: Dr. Tunji Alausa | Nigeria Minister of Education.
The Federal Government has warned that the days of wasting money on idle allocations are "over" and has instructed all postsecondary institutions to use all of their unused and unaccessed education intervention funds within 30 days.
During a strategic discussion with vice chancellors, rectors, provosts, bursars, and procurement officers in Abuja, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, minister of education, issued this directive.
Alausa emphasized that institutions must provide reconciled reports of unused funds within the allotted term and called the failure to use granted funds a "setback to national progress."
"The goal of this meeting is to move forward as a group, not to assign blame," the minister stated.
For years, bureaucratic bottlenecks have prevented the utilization of resources that could have revolutionized our libraries, labs, and classrooms. That needs to change right away.
Alausa stated that "carrying them over without strong justification will no longer be allowed" and that any unused monies would be transferred to priority initiatives.
"Such negligence denies students access to improved learning facilities and limits institutional growth," the Minister said, voicing alarm over significant quantities of money that are sitting inert in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He went on to say that the Ministry will introduce a public transparency dashboard that will show TETFund disbursement and utilization data in order to guarantee accountability.
"Public trust is represented by every TETFund naira. We have an obligation to Nigerians to make sure that these resources are used effectively and openly," he stated.
Permanent Secretary Abel Enitan, through Hajiya Rakiya G. Iliyasu, reiterated the government's position and characterized the problem of unused funds as a national emergency that calls for shared accountability.
"The ongoing underutilization of funds erodes the quality of education and impedes national development," she stated.
"Institutions must deliver measurable results within specified timeframes and eliminate administrative bottlenecks."
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that every education naira has a real impact through better learning environments, upgraded infrastructure, and sustained growth throughout Nigeria's tertiary institutions under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.
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