TRANSFORMING NIGERIA’S EDUCATION: 69th National Council on Education Kicks Off in Akure

The 69th National Council on Education (NCE) has brought together education leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Nigeria at The Dome, Alagbaka, Akure, for its official opening on Monday, November 3, 2025. The five-day meeting, themed “Quality Education, Data and Professionalisation of Teaching: Tools for Enhanced National Development,” runs from November 3 to 7, 2025.

Declaring the session open, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami, mni, described the gathering as both timely and relevant, coming at a period when Nigeria is intensifying efforts to meet global education standards. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving the education sector through ongoing reforms. These include the promotion of digital literacy, provision of technology-based learning tools, payment of WAEC fees for students, recruitment and training of teachers, and payment of bursaries and scholarships to indigent students.

The Governor noted that education remains central to Ondo State’s development agenda, adding that his government will continue to invest in initiatives that prepare students for a digital and knowledge-driven world.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, commended the Ondo State Government for its hospitality and for providing an enabling environment for deliberations. He said the meeting’s theme aligns with Nigeria’s current education priorities, stressing that quality learning and teacher professionalism are essential to national development.

Enitan disclosed that 21 states have successfully migrated their basic and secondary school data into the digital National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) with UNICEF’s technical support. He urged the remaining states to join the platform, describing accurate data as the foundation for effective planning and sustainable educational policies.

He further emphasised the need for improved teacher support, training, and welfare, noting that resolutions from the council carry national significance in shaping education outcomes.

Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, said the state is fully prepared to lead discussions and contribute meaningfully to the meeting. He added that the theme captures Nigeria’s shared vision of enhancing education quality through data-driven decision-making and professional teaching standards.

Director, Education, Planning, Research and Development of the Federal Ministry of Education. Mrs. Obianuju Anigbogu, commended the Ondo State Government and urged participants to generate creative ideas that will strengthen the country’s education framework. She called for stronger collaboration between federal and state actors to drive meaningful progress.

The National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) is represented at the conference by Dr Sunday Adegbesan and Dr Opeyemi Oyekan. The Institute’s New Media Officer, Bodunde Tenabe, also attended the event, providing media coverage of the official opening ceremony.

The National Council on Education, Nigeria’s highest policy-making body on education, brings together Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and key stakeholders from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Deliberations at this year’s meeting will focus on data integration, teacher welfare, digital transformation, and inclusive access to learning.

As discussions progress in Akure, expectations remain high that the council will produce actionable resolutions capable of transforming Nigeria’s education system and ensuring every child has access to quality learning, anchoring education as the bedrock of national development.