morganABLE Politics/Governance
The Senate Leader explained that establishing education boards at state and FCT levels would decentralise the administration of intervention programmes and ensure that government support reached schools and communities requiring assistance.
KaNo—
The Senate has commenced legislative moves to improve funding, infrastructure and educational standards in public senior secondary schools across Nigeria, with a proposed amendment seeking to extend government interventions to Federal Unity Colleges and Armed Forces senior secondary schools.
The proposed legislation, titled the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, also seeks to establish education boards across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to strengthen the coordination, administration and implementation of intervention programmes.
The bill, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, passed second reading during Tuesday’s plenary despite concerns raised by former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, over the availability of copies of the proposed legislation for lawmakers to examine.
Leading the debate, Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, said the amendment became necessary following persistent challenges affecting senior secondary education, including inadequate infrastructure, shortages of instructional materials, poor laboratory facilities and disparities in educational standards across states.
He explained that the proposed legislation would strengthen the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act, 2023, by providing a more effective legal framework for coordinating educational interventions and improving learning conditions nationwide.
“The importance of senior secondary education in our national development cannot be overstated,” Bamidele said.
According to him, senior secondary education remains a critical stage in preparing young Nigerians for tertiary education, technical and vocational training, skills acquisition and meaningful participation in the country’s economic development.
He maintained that addressing the challenges confronting the sector would require stronger institutional arrangements, adequate funding and effective collaboration among relevant government authorities.
The Senate Leader explained that establishing education boards at state and FCT levels would decentralise the administration of intervention programmes and ensure that government support reached schools and communities requiring assistance.
He noted that the proposed amendment would also extend the commission’s intervention programmes to Federal Unity Colleges and Armed Forces senior secondary schools, particularly in addressing infrastructure deficiencies and shortages of essential learning resources.
Bamidele, however, cautioned that strengthening the legal framework alone would not automatically translate into improved educational outcomes without accountability and proper implementation.
“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 emphasised the need for fairness in resource distribution, measurable results and prudent management of public funds to ensure that the proposed interventions delivered meaningful improvements.
Supporting the legislation, the Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, described improved funding and coordination as essential to making quality senior secondary education accessible to more communities across the federation.
Monguno expressed confidence that strengthening the commission would help address longstanding educational challenges and promote better learning opportunities for students.
Senators Diket Plang and Ahmad Lawan also supported the bill, arguing that improved institutional coordination and funding could enhance curriculum delivery, educational standards and students’ academic performance.
Lawan, a former Senate President, criticised state governors over their failure to adequately utilise funding opportunities provided through the Universal Basic Education Commission to improve educational facilities.
He particularly expressed concern that some governors had failed to provide the counterpart funding required to access UBEC intervention funds, thereby limiting opportunities to improve public education in their respective states.
However, Oshiomhole raised concerns about the legislative procedure, questioning why lawmakers were being asked to consider amendments to an existing law without having copies of the proposed legislation available for proper examination.
He argued that senators needed access to the bill to understand its provisions and implications before making informed contributions to the debate.
Despite his objection, the Senate approved the bill for second reading through a voice vote and referred it for further legislative consideration.
The proposed amendment comes amid continuing concerns about deteriorating school infrastructure, unequal access to educational resources and differences in learning conditions across public secondary schools.
In another development, 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 authorities to implement measures to protect residents, homes and other properties from further environmental damage.
They also called on the National Emergency Management Agency to provide relief materials and humanitarian assistance to residents affected by flooding and erosion.
Senate Step Down Bill To Relocate Federal Polytechnic To Nasarawa Eggon
Meanwhile, the Senate stepped down a separate bill seeking to relocate a Federal Polytechnic to Nasarawa Eggon in Nasarawa State.
The Federal Polytechnics Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, sponsored by Senator Danladi, was presented for second reading during Tuesday’s plenary.
Danladi explained that the proposal was intended to address the absence of a federal tertiary institution in Nasarawa North Senatorial District following the upgrading of the Federal Polytechnic in Nasarawa West to university status.
“We in Nasarawa North Senatorial District do not have any federal institution,” he said.
However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio advised the lawmaker to withdraw the proposal and introduce fresh legislation seeking the establishment of a new Federal Polytechnic in Nasarawa Eggon.
Akpabio explained that relocating an institution already upgraded to university status could create legal and administrative complications while generating opposition from its host community.
“Your bill cannot go for second reading because you are talking about relocation. If you relocate it, it has already been upgraded to university status, so if you relocate it, you are relocating the university and the whole community will not be happy,” Akpabio said.
He urged Danladi to allow the upgraded institution to remain in its current location while pursuing a separate legislative proposal to establish a new polytechnic for his constituency.
The Senate President maintained that creating a new institution would provide a more appropriate legislative solution to the educational needs of Nasarawa North without disrupting the existing university.
