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The Senate Tuesday began moves to strengthen government funding, infrastructure development and administrative oversight of public senior secondary schools across Nigeria.
The red chamber in the move as requested for by the executive through an amendment bill, seeks to establish education boards at state and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) levels and extend targeted interventions to federal unity colleges and Armed Forces senior secondary schools.
Leading debate on the bill titled: “The National Senior Secondary Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026” , the leader of Senate , Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central,), said persistent deficiencies in school infrastructure, instructional materials and laboratory facilities, alongside disparities in educational standards across states, had made it necessary to strengthen the framework established by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act, 2023.
He argued that senior secondary education was central to preparing young Nigerians for higher education, technical and vocational training, skills acquisition and productive participation in the economy.
“The importance of senior secondary education in our national development cannot be overstated,” Bamidele said, adding that it was also critical to developing the human capital needed to drive economic growth, innovation and technological advancement.
The Senate Leader said the proposed amendments were designed to improve the administration, coordination, funding and delivery of public senior secondary education, including in the FCT.
According to him, the existing law requires stronger institutional arrangements to ensure that government interventions reach schools effectively and that public resources are allocated and utilised transparently.
He said the proposed state and FCT education boards would bring the administration of intervention programmes closer to the institutions and communities they were intended to serve.
The bill also provides for interventions in Federal Unity Colleges and Armed Forces senior secondary schools, with the aim of addressing their infrastructure and learning-resource needs within the proposed statutory framework.
Bamidele, however, cautioned that legislative amendments alone would not guarantee improvements unless the commission operated under clear guidelines, transparent funding criteria and effective monitoring mechanisms.
“The successful implementation of the proposed amendments will depend on clear operational guidelines, transparent allocation criteria, effective monitoring, proper financial accountability and coordination between the Commission and the relevant authorities,” he said.
He added that the commission must ensure fairness, measurable outcomes and prudent utilisation of public funds in carrying out its responsibilities.
Supporting the bill, Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, said improved funding and coordination would make senior secondary education more accessible to communities across the country.
Senators Diket Plang and Ahmad Lawan also backed the proposal, expressing optimism that strengthening the commission would improve curriculum delivery, educational standards and students’ learning outcomes.
However, the Senate adopted the bill for second reading through a voice vote and referred it for further legislative consideration.
The proposed amendment comes against the backdrop of concerns over inadequate school facilities and unequal access to quality learning resources, challenges Bamidele said required coordinated interventions by the different levels of government.
The upper chamber also called on the Federal Government and relevant agencies, particularly the Ecological Project Office, to urgently address erosion threatening Bogoro community in Bayelsa Central Senatorial District.
The lawmakers urged the agencies to take necessary measures to protect residents and their property, while directing attention to the need for relief support for those affected by flooding and erosion.
They further called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to affected residents.
Meanwhile, the Senate received the report of its Committee on Foreign Affairs on the nomination of Sani Ndanusa as ambassador.
The committee endorsed the nominee.
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