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The Federal Government has directed that all completed but non-operational schools funded by the Universal Basic Education Commission be put into use without delay, warning that it will no longer accept situations where school buildings remain locked while millions of children are out of school.
Minister of Education Tunji Alausa gave the directive on Tuesday in Abuja while inaugurating the UBEC Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee, saying several Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools built with public funds have remained unused despite reaching advanced stages of completion.
“Infrastructure alone does not educate a child,” Alausa said. “A commissioned school that has not admitted learners has failed to achieve its purpose.”
The minister said the committee’s assignment goes beyond inspections and paperwork, stressing that its performance would be judged by the number of schools that become fully operational and begin admitting pupils.
“Your success will not be measured by the number of meetings held or inspection reports produced,” he said. “It will be measured by one fundamental question: How many schools have become operational, and are educating Nigerian children?”
Chaired by Rashid Aderinoye, the committee has been tasked with ensuring every project progresses from construction to classroom learning. Its responsibilities include completing unfinished buildings, installing furniture and learning equipment, providing electricity, water and internet access, deploying teachers and concluding handovers to state governments.
“Where schools have not admitted students, your work is not yet done,” Alausa said.
The minister described abandoned education projects as a waste of taxpayers’ money and said every day a completed school remains closed denies thousands of children access to learning while eroding public confidence in government programmes.
“The era when projects are declared completed on paper while remaining inaccessible to beneficiaries must come to an end,” he said.
Although the Smart, Bilingual and Alternative School initiatives were conceived to expand access to quality education, Alausa said they would only achieve their objectives when classrooms are occupied by learners.
“Every day a completed school remains locked represents lost opportunities for thousands of Nigerian children.”
He added that the education sector remains a priority under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, every classroom will count. Every school will function. Every investment will deliver value,” the minister said.
The minister re-emphasised that the committee would be held accountable for ensuring completed schools begin serving learners, insisting that public investments in education must translate into better access to quality learning for Nigerian children.
