The maiden edition of the National Education Quality Assurance Policy Committee Meeting is currently underway at the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in Kaduna.
Organised by the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Education, the event is taking place from September 2 to 4.
The meeting was declared open by the Minister of Education , Mr Tunji Alausa.
He was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Abel Enitan, Director.and Coordinating Evaluator, Federal Education Quality Assurance, Kaduna State Office, Mr Ayodele Samson.
The minister appreciated the members of the committee on behalf of the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji-Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad.
Alausa stated that the theme of the conference, ‘Improving Education Quality Assurance Policies, Processes, and Practices in Nigeria,’ was both timely and of paramount importance.
The permanent secretary, in an address read on his behalf, emphasised that its time to move beyond merely ensuring access to education and focus on the quality of education.
Enitan stated that the committee was conceived not as another bureaucratic framework, but as a strategic intervention to reposition Education Quality Assurance as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s national educational agenda.
”We are here to review, refine, and revitalise the policies, processes, and practices that govern how we ensure quality at the basic and secondary levels of education”‘, he said.
Enitan further stated that in the days ahead, the focus must be on harmonising regulations and standards across the education sector.
According to him, this is with the view to strengthening monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, as well as planning to leverage technology for real-time data collection and analysis.
This, he added, was to ensure the inclusiveness and accessibility of quality assurance to all basic and secondary education institutions, especially those in underserved areas.
Earlier, the Director of the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Department of the ministry, Mr Adegboye Adekunle, disclosed that the establishment of the committee marked the culmination of extensive peer review, stakeholder engagement, and robust deliberations.
He said that all these were aimed at addressing the foundational pillars of Nigeria’s educational system.
Adekunle informed the committee members that the challenges in the sector now include disparities in learning outcomes.
He said there was the need for curriculum modernisation, teacher quality and welfare, infrastructure deficits.
Adekunle also stressed the urgent need to align education with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy.
The director stated that the National Education Quality Assurance Policy Committee meeting had been convened.
This, according to him, is to provide strategic direction, oversight, and technical leadership in the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of a comprehensive quality assurance framework for all levels of education in Nigeria.
” Together, let us build an education system that we can all be proud of-one that nurtures talent, fosters innovation, and drives national transformation,” he added.
The goodwill message of the Director and Chief Executive of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, Prof. Sadiya Sani-Daura, whose message was read by Dr Kayode Jegede, Deputy Director of Field Operations, Student Services and Quality Assurance Department.
She stated that the Institute was delighted to host the committee’s maiden meeting.
Sani-Daura expressed optimism that the deliberations would yield valuable insights and strategies to strengthen the country’s quality assurance framework.
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Abubakar Usman-Zaria, Director-General of the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority.
Papers were presented by the Director-General of the Benue Bureau for Education Quality Assurance and directors of quality assurance.
The meeting is being attended by relevant representatives, including Dr. James Fatakum from FCDO/PLANE, Quality Assurance Directors from various states, and other important stakeholders.
The meeting, which commenced on Tuesday, will conclude on Thursday.
