The federal government has unveiled three key policy documents to address teachers’ education, Almajiri education, and drugs and substance abuse in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

The policy documents were launched yesterday by Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, representatives from UNESCO and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

The policy documents included: national teachers’ policy and its implementation guidelines; the national policy on Almajiri education and its implementation guidelines; and the national policy on drug and substance abuse in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

Alausa said the ministry has adopted an 80 per cent implementation and 20 per cent policy development model in line with international standards.

The minister said that Nigeria’s education reforms must now translate into measurable outcomes across all states.

He appreciated the continued support of development partners, including UNESCO, UNICEF, and others, for Nigeria’s education sector.

The minister stated that the new policies would either improve existing ones or address areas where no policy previously existed.

Alausa stressed that policy is just 10 per cent of the work, adding, “Implementation is the heart of what we do, and the commissioners will drive this work, while the Federal Government will provide the technical support and resources required.

“The first of the three policies presented is the National Teachers’ Policy alongside its implementation guidelines. The policy is designed to strengthen teacher quality, upgrade competencies, and improve professional development.”

Alausa said the government had accelerated the digitalisation of teacher training programmes and would soon launch a digital platform for continuous professional development.

He added that the government was working to ensure that all public school teachers are licensed by the Teacher Registration Council to produce the best students.

The minister said the second policy document on Drug and Substance Abuse in Schools was meant to address the rising rate of drug and substance abuse among students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

“This is the first time Nigeria is developing a national policy and implementation guideline on drug abuse in schools,” the minister said.

He added that the policy incorporated counselling and behavioural support but affirmed that the government would not hesitate to punish repeat offenders.

Alausa said, “We must protect our youth. Addiction destroys lives, and President Bola Tinubu believes strongly in the capacity of Nigerians.”

Also speaking, the minister of state for education said the new policies would directly attack the problems of education in the country.

The minister said, “These documents compliment the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative and reinforce our commitment to ensure that no child is left behind.

“The policy documents respond to the high-impact deliverables assigned to the education sector and reflect strong alignment with national priorities and the strategic outcomes envisioned for our country.

“To achieve our aspiration, it is not enough to design policies. We must translate them into measurable results.”

Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, pledged to fully implement the new policies.

He emphasised that while policies were formulated at the federal level, implementation rested squarely with the states.

“Most of the implementation steps can easily be captured in our 2025 project plans for those who have not gone beyond that stage,” he explained.

He pledged the commitment of all state commissioners of education to ensuring the policies translate into concrete results across the federation.

“We’ll do our best to ensure that every part of these policies is well implemented. We are strategic, decisive, and deliberate. We will do everything we can,” he stated. (The Nation)

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