The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has tasked governing councils of tertiary institutions with strengthening oversight, accountability and financial discipline to ensure that Federal Government reforms translate into measurable improvements in the education sector.

Alausa, who spoke yesterday through a representative at the national conference of the Forum of Governing Council Members in Nigeria (FOGOCOM) and the Tinubu Support Group (TSG) in Abuja, said councils had a critical role in improving the quality, accessibility and sustainability of tertiary education.

The conference, themed, “Empowering Tertiary Institutions for National Transformation: The Governing Council Role in Realizing the Renewed Hope Agenda,” brought together governing council members and education stakeholders from the six geopolitical zones.

The minister said the government was investing in access, skills development and quality through initiatives including the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) interventions and the expansion of technical and vocational education.

He urged councils to strengthen institutional oversight, promote accountability and ensure financial sustainability, stressing that public resources must deliver measurable benefits.

“Public resources entrusted to an institution must produce public value,” he said.

Alausa also called for greater use of data and technology in institutional decision-making, particularly in enrolment, staffing, infrastructure development and student outcomes.

Also speaking, former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, described Nigeria’s ethnic, religious and cultural diversity as an asset that could contribute to national development if properly harnessed.

Ganduje said the country’s diversity should be seen as an opportunity to promote national integration, unity and development rather than division.

“Nigeria is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-tribal country, and this is an advantage to us, not a disadvantage. It is a great advantage,” he said.

He said the different ethnic nationalities possessed values that could contribute to national development when properly harnessed, while commending the organisers for bringing together council members from across the six geopolitical zones.

Ganduje also called for greater participation of women in governance, saying their involvement was important to promoting inclusiveness.

Similarly, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Faleke, urged participants to communicate the government’s education initiatives to Nigerians and help ensure that their benefits reached communities across the country.

Faleke said the student loan scheme had created opportunities for students from less-privileged backgrounds to pursue higher education, while students in technical education were also benefiting from allowances.

“For the first time, technical students are receiving allowances in Nigeria. This is a major achievement,” he said.

Earlier, the National Chairman of FOGOCOM, Chief (Dr.) Akin-Thomas Babajide, said governing councils had a responsibility to ensure that government policies translated into meaningful improvements in tertiary institutions.

Babajide said councils must provide effective oversight, promote prudent management, support quality education and contribute to the long-term sustainability of their institutions. He added that the conference would provide an opportunity to examine ways of improving research, innovation, infrastructure and skills development in tertiary institutions.