Alausa Hails Tinubu’s Kaduna Campaign Launch, Targets 10m Education Votes

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has described the large turnout at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign launch in Kaduna as a boost for the administration.

Alausa said the turnout showed growing confidence in Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and ongoing reforms in the education sector.

The minister, who chairs the APC PCC Education Mobilisation Working Group in Abuja, said the Kaduna event had energised the group for wider mobilisation.

He said the group would deepen its engagement across the education sector as it works towards mobilising 10 million votes for Tinubu.

The mobilisation drive will cover universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education across the country. It will also involve other institutions and stakeholders within the sector.

Alausa spoke on Sunday while congratulating Tinubu on the successful launch of the campaign in Kaduna State.

He also highlighted progress recorded under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, NESRI. The initiative forms the Federal Ministry of Education’s six-pillar programme for education reform.

NESRI focuses on expanding access, improving learning outcomes and developing a skills-driven, knowledge-based economy.

Alausa pointed to the Technical and Vocational Education and Training initiative as one of its major components. The programme provides tuition-free vocational training, monthly stipends and pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.

According to the ministry’s NESRI portal, more than 1.3 million people have applied for the TVET programme. It has also matched 160,000 young Nigerians with training opportunities.

The programme has further disbursed about N13.98 billion to training centres and beneficiaries. Payments to participants are still continuing.

Other NESRI programmes include the Nigerian Education Data Infrastructure, which strengthens education data management.

The ministry also runs the EduRevamp teacher development platform, which has attracted more than 51,500 registered teachers.

Alausa also highlighted increased investment in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences. He said the government was also supporting out-of-school children and girl-child education.

“These initiatives are opening new opportunities for young Nigerians, strengthening teaching and learning, and positioning education as a driver of skills, innovation and national development,” he said.

The minister said the Kaduna campaign had given the mobilisation group fresh momentum. He added that the group would expand its engagements with education stakeholders nationwide.

According to him, the campaign will also provide an opportunity to explain the impact of the administration’s education reforms across the country.

Alausa reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to implementing NESRI and working with education stakeholders. He said the focus would remain on improving access, skills development, learning outcomes and education quality.