HON. MINISTER VISITS NERDC, PROMISES INTERVENTION ON INFRASTRUCTURAL REVAMP, 9TH APRIL, 2025.
Hon. Minister of State for Education - Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad (l), addressing the Executive Secretary, NERDC - Prof. Salisu Shehu during her visit to NERDC on Wednesday, 9th April, 2025.
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The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Prof. Salisu Shehu has solicited the intervention and assistance of the Federal Ministry of Education in the areas of Infrastructural overhaul and development.
Speaking when he played host to the Hon. Minister of State for Education at the Council’s Headquarters Sheda on Wednesday, 9th April, 2025, Prof. Shehu stated that NERDC has been doing its best in areas of its mandate delivery, but in terms of physical infrastructure, there is the need to come to the Council 's aid as it seeks intervention funds for infrastructural renovation, renewal and development.
While thanking the Minister for the honour done to NERDC by her visit, the Executive Secretary informed that he invited the Hon. Minister so she can witness firsthand and see for herself, the level of infrastructural decay and dilapidation in the Council, hence, the need for the intervention so that Council, as the THINKTANK of Nigerian Educational System, can be the conducive environment it was supposed to be for conduct of Educational Research and Development activities.
He intimated the Hon. Minister of NERDC’s core mandates that include the conception, formulation and conducting of policy driven educational research; promotion and formulation of a National Book Policy as well as, promotion and development of Curricula at all levels of the nation’s education system.
Again, NERDC develops, encourages development of materials for Nigeria's indigenous languages being taught in schools, as well as advise on and implement all policies relating to the development of Nigerian languages; establishes and maintains Research and Development Library whereby new books and other related publications may be deposited; and, the designing and development of matching educational programmes for emerging issues which were not originally captured in NERDC mandate.
In her response, the Hon. Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad stated that she was very familiar with the Executive Secretary and his abilities, hence, she had no fear or doubt about his delivery capability.
While commending the Executive Secretary for his grasp of the mandate and activities of NERDC within this short period of appointment, the Hon. Minister assured that the Ministry would do whatever could be possible, to give NERDC 100% support so the Council could perform at its optimal level.
The Minister expressed worries observing that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) is bitterly complaining of Publishers constant review of books used in schools, which leads to wastage of scarce resource in the purchase of “almost same book” year after year, after the books cover have been changed. On this, the Minister called for a Book Policy that would stipulate time frame before the revision of any published books used in schools, failure which, the Publisher(s) can be proscribed for years to serve as deterrent to other offenders.
She equally observed the non-uniformity of the implementation of National Language Policy on use of Mother tongue as language of instruction in basic schools where some states have it till primary 3, others have up to primary 6, and other states are using it even in senior secondary level and beyond.
Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad informed that the National Council on Education at its last meeting, had given approval for the review of the National Language Policy, urging NERDC to take into cognizance, concerns raised so far, in formulating new policy on language.
She directed for needs assessment in the review of educational policies before carrying out reviews, so that whatever policies
approved for implementation, must be uniformly implemented.
After the Hon. Minister’s observations, the Executive Secretary informed the Minister that the Counci had noted all the observations and concerns, promising to ensure that those areas of worries would be looked into, and be addressed conscientiously.
The Executive Secretary then took the Hon. Minister to tour round some of the infrastructural facilities in the Council including the dilapidated conference centre - where the ceiling has caved in, the canteen – where the roofs are spoilt and leaking, the Library – where there were no new holdings, but outdated books and materials, etc.
The Hon. Minister assured of the Federal Ministry of Education’s intervention, urging that a comprehensive needs analysis be carried out where all these issues shall be captured.
The Hon. Minister of State for Education - Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad (left) with the Executive Secretary, NERDC - Salisu Shehu (centre), and the Director, Human Resources and Corporate services - Barr. Peter Anande (right) analysing the level of infrastructural dilapidation in NERDC after the Ministerial tour of Council's facilities when the former visited NERDC on Wednesday, 9th April, 2025.
The Hon. Minister of State for Education - Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad with the Executive Secretary, NERDC - Salisu Shehu inspecting the conference centre during the infrastructural tour of Council's facilities when the former visited on Wednesday, 9th April, 2025.
The Hon. Minister of State for Education - Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad (r) and the Executive Secretary, NERDC - Prof. Salisu Shehu (l) observing the level of infrastructural decadence during the tour of Council's facilities by the Hon. Minister when she visited NERDC on Wednesday, 9th April, 2025
Hon. Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad and Executive Secretary, NERDC - Prof. Salisu Shehu inspecting the Library during the former's visit and tour of Council's facilities on Wednesday, 9th April, 2025
Group photograph of the Hon. Minister of State for Education - Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad (4th right) and, the Executive Secretary, NERDC - Prof. Salisu Shehu (5th left) with Management of NERDC after the former's visit to Council on Wednesday, 9th April, 2025
