Nigeria Education Minister directs universities on curriculum and worker pay

Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has issued directives to federal university vice-chancellors focused on academic alignment and worker welfare. Alausa urged institutions to prioritize degree programs that address critical manpower shortages, specifically calling for the establishment of programs in Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Clinical Psychology, and Medical Social Work.

To support specialized care, the Federal Government plans to establish autism centers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. These centers are intended to serve as regional hubs for diagnosis, research, and therapeutic services.

Additionally, the Minister warned university managements against delays in paying eligible workers’ entitlements. He emphasized that funds released for personnel costs must be used for their approved purposes, specifically citing the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTA), and entitlements under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS). Alausa stated that administrative delays or poor financial management should not prevent workers from receiving legitimate payments.