Precious Nwonu, Enugu
President Bola Tinubu has recounted how he worked as a taxi driver and took up other jobs in the United States to finance his university education.
The President shared the experience in a post on his X account on Wednesday while outlining his administration’s efforts to expand access to education in Nigeria.
Tinubu said he delayed starting school for several months after arriving in the US because he needed to save enough money to fund his studies.
He explained that after moving to Chicago, he took up different jobs to cover his tuition, accommodation and other expenses.
The President said the experience shaped his belief that every Nigerian child should have access to quality education, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.
Highlighting his administration’s education programmes, Tinubu disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund had disbursed more than ₦372bn in student loans to cover institutional fees and living expenses.
He said the government’s technical and vocational education programme had received over 2.8 million applications, while 38 technical colleges had been rehabilitated.
According to him, students in federal and selected state technical colleges now benefit from free tuition, accommodation, textbooks and uniforms.
Tinubu also announced a new agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which provides for a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and measures aimed at improving stability in the university system.
He said the government was committed to ensuring that students complete their courses within the stipulated period without unnecessary delays.
On medical education, the President disclosed that ₦110bn was being invested in the rehabilitation of 24 medical schools.
He added that annual nursing enrolment had increased from 28,000 to 115,000, while medical and dental student enrolment rose from 5,000 to 12,000.
Tinubu further said more than one million children who were previously out of school had returned to classrooms, while the government was expanding teacher development programmes and educational opportunities for girls.
He also highlighted the introduction of a new national curriculum that restores Nigerian History to schools, saying children should understand the country’s past and be prepared to contribute to its future.
The President commended the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and other officials involved in implementing the reforms.
He also announced an interactive platform for the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, which he said would provide information on government programmes, achievements and opportunities in the education sector.
Tinubu urged parents, students and teachers to use the platform to identify available opportunities and provide feedback on challenges affecting schools in their communities.