The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new policy on transnational education in Nigeria, Minister of State for Education Mr Yusuf Sununu has said.
The minister said this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly FEC meeting chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.
He said the new policy would increase access to tertiary education in Nigeria given the large number of secondary school graduates seeking university admission annually.
He said transnational education would ease placement pressures and allow progressive exchange of ideas and research.
“Ours in the Federal Ministry of Education is a note to the council on the guidelines for the implementation of transnational education in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is a member of world trade organization since 1995.And also signatory to general agreement of trade in services which was signed in 1995.
“The gaps are document included education as documentation that can be exportable services that can be done across borders.
“And we are all aware that the effort of Mr. President to increased access to education with greater number of graduate secondary school leavers who are seeking to be graduate or undergraduate in our tertiary institution.
“The placement is becoming serious issues and therefore the ministry come up with a policy of transnational education.
“What it means is that exchange of cross fertilisation of ideas exchange that progressive education can be done across borders.
“The documents, provide a guideline whereby a foreign institution can collaborate with local institution within the country, or can even come and establish a conference within the country without become widely access of placement in Nigeria and also permit us to increase access in terms of widening the scope of research that is going to be conducted within the country.
“And not only that, economically, the transnational education will establish would decrease the pressure on Dollar as to exchange rate to go out their to secure as an excellent means to secure education.
“And based on this or this justification presented to the council, which has the policy document that was developed by a National universities Commission and the FME, the council graciously note the presentation of the document so that it can be implemented to increase access to tertiary education in Nigeria,” he said.
He said as a member of the World Trade Organisation, Nigeria is signatory to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) which includes education as an exportable service.
