The Federal Government has launched a new National Policy on Non-State Schools aimed at regulating, supporting, and standardising the operations of private and community-based educational institutions across the country.
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Speaking during the official launch of the policy on Thursday in Abuja, Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, said the move was necessary to ensure non-state schools—including private, faith-based, charity, community, home schooling initiatives, and adult learning centres—meet national minimum standards in infrastructure, teacher quality, curriculum delivery, and accountability.
Approved by the National Council for Education in October 2024, the policy was developed in collaboration with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), through the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE).
Alausa noted that non-state schools grew by 39 percent between 2017 and 2022, compared to 3.5 percent and 6.3 percent growth in public primary and junior secondary schools, respectively.
“As our population continues to grow, non-state schools are helping to fill the gap. While we appreciate their role, we are determined to ensure better regulation, accountability, and support so they can deliver higher-quality education to our children,” Alausa said.
The new policy introduces national minimum standards covering teacher qualifications, safety of learning environments, curriculum alignment, and data reporting. It also outlines mechanisms for collaboration between non-state schools and government agencies.
To encourage compliance and expand access to education, the government announced incentive schemes—including reimbursements to private schools for enrolling out-of-school children starting from the 2025–2026 academic session.
Also included are direct grants for early childhood development centres and proposed public-private partnerships for the concessioning of unity schools.
British High Commission Senior Education Adviser, Ian Attfield, backed the move, saying regulation was long overdue, especially in rapidly growing urban centres.
“With rapid urbanisation from 250,000 residents in 1960 to over 15 million today, Lagos and other cities have witnessed mushrooming education providers beyond government reach. Regulation is not only timely, it’s essential,” Attfield said.
Saleh Adamu, representing the Coalition of Non-State Schools, expressed support for the policy and urged sustained collaboration with the government.
Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Ronke Soyombo, disclosed that over 85 percent of teachers in non-state schools are unregistered, but noted that TRCN is working to simplify and expand its registration process.
The launch of the policy comes amid mounting concerns over the declining standards in Nigeria’s education system.
Figures released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) after the 2025 UTME revealed that over 70 percent of candidates scored below 200 out of 400.
Of the 1.9 million candidates, only 565,988 (29.3 percent) scored above 200, with just 6 percent scoring above 250.
Nigeria’s poor standing on global university rankings also reinforces the concerns. No Nigerian university featured in the QS World University Rankings for 2026, while only Covenant University and the University of Ibadan appeared in the Times Higher Education 2024 top 1000 list.
Stakeholders have further criticised JAMB’s recent decision to reduce the university admission cut-off mark to 150/400 (37.5 percent)—a threshold below the traditional “E” pass mark of 45 percent.
Dr. Busayo Aderonmu of Covenant University described the revised cut-off as a “watering down” of academic standards.
“If 150 out of 400 is allowed for university admission, then we’re no longer selecting the most academically qualified candidates. That’s an F grade, not even a pass,” she said.
Similarly, Nubi Achebo, Director of Academic Planning at the Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM), said the education sector is plagued by poor infrastructure, inadequate funding, and a shortage of qualified teachers.
“Many schools lack classrooms, libraries, and laboratories. The teaching profession is unattractive due to poor pay and working conditions,” Achebo said.
Achebo urged the government to increase education funding, invest in infrastructure and digital tools, improve teacher welfare, and overhaul the curriculum to reflect global standards.
“By improving working conditions for teachers, updating the curriculum, and investing in technology, Nigeria can begin to reverse the decline and prepare students for the global job market,” he said.
The National Policy on Non-State Schools is now expected to serve as a cornerstone in these reforms—balancing access and quality in a sector undergoing rapid transformation.
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