2025: Quality Governance, Embracing AI, Curricular Review, Top Stakeholders’ Expectations for Education

With the dawn of a new year, experts have called for a shift towards higher quality across key areas in the education sector, including having passionate and dedicated teachers, improvements in educational facilities and resources, embracing artificial intelligence, reviewing curricula to align with industry demands, and fostering a culture of student entrepreneurship. They also emphasised the importance of internationalisation, which will create unprecedented opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and cultural integration. Funmi Ogundare reports

Towards the end of 2024, President  Bola Tinubu presented the 2025 proposed budget of N47.90 trillion before the 10th National Assembly. Titled ‘Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity’, the budget is higher than the 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion.

He explained that the theme reinforces his administration’s commitment to securing peace, prosperity, and hope for a better future for Nigeria. Aside from security, infrastructure development and health, N3.52 trillion was earmarked for the education sector. Tinubu commended the collaborative efforts of the National Assembly, saying that the 2025 budget proposal lays the foundation for peace, prosperity and much-needed hope.

However, in a report, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU),  Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed disappointment about the budget allocation, saying that it was a clear reflection of the government’s lack of commitment to the revitalisation of the education sector.

He stated that the N3.5 trillion education budget of the federal government may seem large, “but it only constitutes seven per cent, a figure unchanged from previous years.”

He highlighted the dire state of Nigerian universities, pointing out that while electricity costs for universities were around N20 million in the past, they now reach nearly N300 million.

Osodeke also bemoaned the worsening exchange rate, eroding the allocated budget’s value.

The ASUU leader voiced scepticism about the full release of the budgeted funds, recalling that the N300 billion allocated for the revitalisation of Nigerian universities in 2023 was yet to be released.

He noted that the government budgeted N300 billion for university revitalisation in 2023, but “we are entering 2025, and that money has still not been released.”

“How can we be sure that this new budget won’t face the same fate?” Osodeke stated.

Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which is aimed at providing student loans, enhancing employability and contributing to the country’s economic growth, also came with mixed feelings in 2024. This year, the fund plans to onboard at least 1.2 million students, significantly expanding its reach nationwide.

Its Managing Director, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, said, “We are not funding education for education’s sake. We want to empower students with skills and knowledge that give them a realistic chance of securing jobs.”

He stressed that, while no course is currently excluded, future funding may prioritise fields that are sellable and exportable to make Nigeria’s workforce more competitive. He states that NELFUND offers a two-year post-NYSC repayment moratorium to ease financial pressure on graduates. Beneficiaries are not required to repay loans until they secure jobs, with employers responsible for deducting and remitting repayments directly to the fund. 

The MD also revealed that the fund is considering an upward review of the current N20,000 monthly stipend provided to students.

“This review reflects our commitment to ensuring that students can meet their basic needs while focusing on their studies,” he said

The year 2024 witnessed a policy twist with the government’s decision to set the minimum age for university admissions at 18 years.

However, after much pressure from stakeholders, the government was forced to revert to the 16-year minimum age for admission of candidates sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) in 2025.

Some stakeholders who have been monitoring the sector offered a roadmap for transforming universities into hubs of innovation, global engagement, and societal impact, ensuring their relevance in an increasingly interconnected and technology-driven world in the new year.

Sharing his expectations for the education sector in 2025, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and a professor of History, Siyan Oyeweso, stressed the need for universities across the country to adopt transformative strategies to remain competitive and relevant in the 21st century. 

He proposed embracing artificial intelligence, reviewing curricula to align with industry demands, and fostering a culture of student entrepreneurship.  

He also highlighted the importance of internationalisation, saying that globalisation has created unprecedented opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and cultural integration.

He called on universities to strengthen international partnerships, attract global talent, and provide students with a cosmopolitan education. 

“By forming partnerships with reputable institutions worldwide, offering joint degree programmes, exchange opportunities, and research collaborations, we can enhance our global reputation and better prepare our students for an interconnected world,” he stated. 

Oyeweso described AI as a revolutionary force shaping industries such as healthcare, finance, and education. He emphasised the need for universities to invest in AI-powered tools, develop AI-centric curricula, and establish research centres focused on AI applications.

“We must empower our students to engage with digital research and embrace AI-driven innovations. This will prepare them to lead in creating solutions that address critical societal challenges,” he stated.  

He also stressed the need for a comprehensive review of university curricula to ensure they are forward-thinking and responsive to emerging industry needs. He advocated for the integration of critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills into academic programmes to equip graduates for the complexities of the global economy.  

Speaking on entrepreneurship, Oyeweso highlighted its vital role in driving innovation and economic growth. He proposed strengthening university support systems such as incubators, accelerators, and mentorship programmes to help students transform innovative ideas into viable businesses. 

“Our goal is to build a culture of entrepreneurship where students can create jobs and contribute to economic development,” Oyeweso added.

Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, Vice-Chancellor of the African School of Economics, Abuja, called for a shift towards higher quality across key areas. He outlined seven critical areas where quality should be prioritised, including admitting only qualified students into educational institutions.

“We need learners who are capable of being effectively taught, not those who are barely teachable,” he said.

He also stressed the need for passionate and dedicated teachers, pointing out that “we should aim to attract the best graduates to the classroom, not those who view teaching as a last resort,” highlighting the importance of a committed and skilled teaching workforce.

He also called for improvements in educational facilities and resources, noting that excellence in education is limited without proper infrastructure.

“Quality facilities are essential for effective teaching and learning,” he stated.

Beyond the academic workforce and infrastructure, Adedimeji also pointed to the physical environment of schools. He called for an upgrade in the physical settings of educational institutions to ensure they are conducive to learning.

He also highlighted the need for quality content, efficient processes, and sound governance within the sector as critical to improving education across the country.