The Federal Government has introduced the Basic Education Transformation Agenda (BETA), a wide-ranging reform plan designed to reduce the number of out-of-school children and raise education standards across the country.
Unveiling the initiative, the Minister of Education explained that one of the key strategies under BETA is the introduction of Conditional Cash Transfers for mothers. The scheme is meant to incentivise families to keep their children in school by providing financial support tied directly to consistent attendance. Alongside this, a “Back2School Drive” will ease enrollment costs for children from low-income households, especially in regions most affected by high dropout rates.
The government said the agenda directly addresses long-standing challenges in Nigeria’s education sector, including poor infrastructure, weak technical training, outdated curricula, low teacher capacity, and the growing population of out-of-school children.
Several flagship initiatives have been outlined under BETA. A major focus is teacher retraining, with a target of equipping five million young people with modern teaching skills over the next four years. Starting from the 2025/2026 academic session, students in federal and state technical colleges will also enjoy free tuition, feeding, boarding, uniforms, and protective gear.
To strengthen technical and vocational education, 38 federal and state technical colleges will be modernised, while N80 billion has been earmarked for the rehabilitation of unity schools nationwide. In addition, the government will roll out the STEMM Nigeria Agenda, which seeks to align higher education with manpower needs in health, energy, and technology sectors.
The curriculum reform component will update learning to reflect 21st-century demands, emphasising critical thinking, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and civic responsibility. Officials also announced increased annual scholarship grants for students and new protections for vulnerable groups, including the adoption of a national anti-bullying policy and the expansion of school feeding and nutrition programmes.
Observers say the new agenda reflects an attempt to tackle both access and quality at once—by making education more affordable for families while also upgrading the system to prepare young Nigerians for the future of work. If fully implemented, the reforms could reshape Nigeria’s education landscape, improve workforce readiness, and reduce poverty levels by addressing the root causes of exclusion from schooling.
