The Federal Ministry of Education has advised the House of Representatives to suspend further deliberations on bills seeking to establish new educational institutions, citing severe funding constraints facing the sector.
Ejeh Usman, Director of Polytechnic in the ministry, made this statement on Thursday during a public hearing in Abuja on the 'Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Hawal Local Government Area, Borno State' and two separate bills proposing amendments to the Federal Polytechnics Act.
"Given prevailing funding constraints, the Ministry recommends suspending further initiation and deliberations on establishment bills at this time," Usman stated, emphasizing that lawmakers should instead "prioritise adequate funding of existing higher institutions of learning rather than establishing new ones."
The ministry highlighted the federal government's policy on equitable distribution of federal institutions across states, noting that the policy ensures no state hosts more than one Federal Polytechnic while guaranteeing that every state has at least one such institution.
"Currently, all states except Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are engaged in this initiative," Usman explained.
The ministry also pointed out that it has streamlined and expanded avenues for establishing private tertiary institutions, encouraging states and individuals to leverage this opportunity to contribute to national educational development.
Regarding the specific bill under consideration, the ministry observed that the establishment of a Federal College of Entrepreneurship falls under technical education, which is regulated by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
While supporting necessary amendments to strengthen polytechnic institutions, the ministry appealed for "prudent allocation of resources, prioritising existing institutions over establishing new ones to optimise the nation's educational development."
This development comes amid growing concerns about inadequate funding in Nigeria's education sector, with many existing institutions struggling with infrastructure deficits, staff welfare issues, and operational challenges.
