The Federal Executive Council has approved the restoration of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education as an agency under the Federal Ministry of Education.
FEC, on Wednesday, also approved a six-year moratorium on the establishment of new tertiary institutions and endorsed reforms recognising medical fellowships as equivalent to PhD qualifications.
Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education disclosed this after the council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
He said the commission, earlier downgraded to a department, would regain its independent status due to its strategic importance.
“The upgrade was necessitated by President Tinubu’s expansive agenda to educate more than 50 million young adults over the next two to three years.
“Today, we have about 56 million Nigerians that are illiterate. We can’t continue to have a high number of citizens that are illiterate,” he assured.
Alausa said the commission, established in 2013, would intensify outreach in rural areas through radio, television and community schools.
On medical education, he announced amendments to the National Postgraduate Medical College Act to eliminate barriers for super-specialised doctors.
“We need to remove the dichotomy of doctors who spent almost 16 years from medical school and residency and then doing their fellowship,” he said.
He explained that the reform would address requirements for PhD qualifications for professorship despite equivalent expertise.
Alausa saud FEC also ratified a six-year moratorium on establishing new universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
“Today, access is no longer the issue in the country. We have lots of tertiary institutions, both public and private,” Alausa said.
He added that the council approved comprehensive insurance coverage for the 180 Federal Unity Schools to protect critical assets.
The minister said efforts were ongoing to revamp the unity schools in line with the administration’s education reform agenda. (NAN)
