Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has revealed plans to partner with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in engaging the National Assembly to address the persistent issue of unpaid salaries for government school teachers in Abuja.
Alausa made this known on Wednesday during the official launch of the National Policy on Non-State Schools, held in Abuja in collaboration with the British High Commission and the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria.
During his address, the minister emphasised the need for a structural overhaul to end the recurring salary crisis in the FCT’s education system.
“Getting the teachers back to school is just one part of fixing the problem,” he said. “We must address the root cause. Unlike other states that have functional State Universal Basic Education Boards paying teacher salaries under the UBE initiative, the FCT still lacks such a structure.”
He also acknowledged Minister Wike’s key role in quietly resolving the recent teachers’ strike, which led to the resumption of academic activities in early childcare and primary schools across the territory.
“I will work with Hon Wike and we will make a representation to the National Assembly on how the salaries of teachers in the FCT can be funded directly, possibly through a functioning SUBEB,” he said, calling the reform necessary to ensure a sustainable solution.
In addition to addressing the salary issue, Alausa used the event to launch the National Policy on Non-State Schools, which he described as an essential pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This policy is a crucial step toward reforming our education sector. By tapping into the potential of non-state schools, we can expand access, enhance quality, and reduce the number of out-of-school children,” he stated.
The policy outlines clear standards for infrastructure, teaching quality, and curriculum implementation, while also proposing a framework for collaboration between the public and private education sectors.
Alausa disclosed that a dedicated committee is developing a model to indirectly reimburse private schools for each out-of-school child they help reintegrate into the classroom.
“Our target is to implement this programme by the 2025/2026 academic session, starting in September,” he said.
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