2027 General elections: Alausa targets 10m votes for Tinubu from education sector
By Uji A Iliyasu, Abuja
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has said the education sector is ready to mobilise 10 million votes for President Bola Tinubu, following the successful launch of the All Progressives Congress campaign in Kaduna State.
Alausa, who chairs the APC Presidential Campaign Council’s Education Mobilisation Working Group in Abuja, described the massive turnout at the Kaduna event as a demonstration of growing confidence in Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and ongoing education reforms.
The minister, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the campaign launch had energised the mobilisation group to intensify its nationwide engagements with stakeholders across universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education and other institutions.
He said the group would leverage the administration’s achievements in the education sector to strengthen public support for the President.
Alausa also highlighted progress under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, the Federal Ministry of Education’s six-pillar reform programme designed to expand access to education, improve learning outcomes and develop a skills-driven, knowledge-based economy.
He identified the Technical and Vocational Education and Training initiative as a major component of NESRI, offering tuition-free vocational training, monthly stipends and pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.
The minister said the programme has attracted more than 1.3 million applications, matched 160,000 young Nigerians with training opportunities and facilitated the disbursement of approximately N13.98bn to training centres and trainees.
He added that other interventions include the Nigerian Education Data Infrastructure, which strengthens education data management, and the EduRevamp teacher development platform, which has registered more than 51,500 teachers.
The minister also cited increased investment in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences, alongside targeted interventions for 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,” Alausa said.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to implementing NESRI and collaborating with education stakeholders to improve access, skills development, learning outcomes and the overall quality of education nationwide.