CONTINENTAL EDUCATION STAKEHOLDERS BY MINISTER OF EDUCATION, DR ,TUNJI ALAUSA

I’m delighted to be back at the Education World Forum 2026 alongside the Nigerian delegation, including the Executive Secretary of TETFund, NERDC officials, State Commissioners for Education, and SUBEB Chairmen. This year’s theme, “Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow: Education for Human Flourishing,” speaks directly to the future we are building for education in Nigeria and across Africa. It was a pleasure engaging with fellow African Ministers of Education during today’s Welcome Breakfast, where we exchanged ideas on the bold reforms being implemented across the continent to expand access, strengthen quality, and better prepare our young people for the future. A major highlight of our discussions was Nigeria’s Non-Formal Learning initiatives and our commitment to tackling foundational learning challenges at scale. Nigeria has moved from focusing solely on inputs to prioritising measurable outcomes. With the National Policy on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy nearing completion, and the drive toward one unified standard across both formal and non-formal education systems, we are laying a sustainable foundation that will endure beyond any single programme cycle. This is how we will end learning poverty at scale. I also participated in several side events and plenary sessions hosted by our development partners, including the EWF Side Event: Ministerial Taskforce Private Roundtable, which focused on preparing learners for future readiness in a rapidly changing world. Today’s conversations strongly align with the reforms we are advancing through our NESRI 6-Point Agenda. From TVET and EIBIC to AWS Academy expansion and other innovation-driven programmes, we are building an education system that equips young Nigerians with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities needed for tomorrow’s industries. Nigeria is not waiting for the future — we are preparing for it now.