Senate Seeks to Extend Education Funding to Unity, Military Schools

The Senate has begun moves to strengthen funding, infrastructure and oversight in public senior secondary schools nationwide, with a proposed amendment seeking to establish education boards at state and Federal Capital Territory levels and extend interventions to federal unity colleges and Armed Forces senior secondary schools.

The National Senior Secondary Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, was passed for second reading during plenary on Tuesday, despite concerns raised by Senator Adams Oshiomhole over the availability of copies of the proposed legislation for lawmakers to scrutinise.

The bill seeks to strengthen the legal framework governing senior secondary education and improve the coordination, funding and delivery of intervention programmes across the country.

Leading the debate on the proposal, Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, said persistent deficiencies in school infrastructure, instructional materials and laboratory facilities, as well as disparities in educational standards among states, made it necessary to amend the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act, 2023.

“The importance of senior secondary education in our national development cannot be overstated,” Bamidele said, stressing its role in preparing young Nigerians for higher education, technical and vocational training, skills acquisition and productive participation in the economy.

He said the proposed amendments would improve the administration and coordination of public senior secondary education, including in the FCT, while ensuring that government interventions reached schools effectively.

According to him, the proposed state and FCT education boards would bring intervention programmes closer to the schools and communities they were designed to serve.

The bill also provides for interventions in Federal Unity Colleges and Armed Forces senior secondary schools to address infrastructure gaps and shortages of learning resources.

Bamidele, however, warned that legislative amendments alone would not guarantee improved outcomes without transparent funding arrangements and effective monitoring.

“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.

Supporting the bill, the Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, said improved funding and coordination would make senior secondary education more accessible to communities nationwide.

Senators Diket Plang and Ahmad Lawan also supported the proposal, expressing optimism that strengthening the commission would improve curriculum delivery, educational standards and students’ learning outcomes.

Lawan criticised state governors over what he described as the failure to utilise funds available through the Universal Basic Education Commission to improve education in their states.

He also lamented the failure of some governors to provide counterpart funding required to access UBEC support for school improvement.

Oshiomhole, however, questioned the legislative process, asking why senators were expected to consider amendments to an existing law without copies of the proposed bill being made available to them for scrutiny.

Despite the objection, the Senate passed the bill for second reading through a voice vote and referred it for further legislative consideration.

The proposed amendment comes amid concerns over inadequate school facilities, unequal access to learning resources and disparities in educational standards across the country.

In a separate matter, the Senate called on the Federal Government and relevant agencies, particularly the Ecological Project Office, to urgently address erosion threatening the Bogoro community in Bayelsa Central Senatorial District.

The lawmakers urged the agencies to take measures to protect residents and their property, while calling on the National Emergency Management Agency to provide relief materials to people affected by flooding and erosion.