President Bola Tinubu has recalled how he worked as a taxi driver and took up other jobs in the United States to finance his university education, saying the experience shaped his commitment to expanding access to education in Nigeria.

Tinubu said he had to postpone starting school for several months after arriving in the US to save enough money for his education.

The President disclosed this on Wednesday in a post on his X handle, while highlighting his administration’s achievements in the education sector.

He said his personal struggles with tuition fees, accommodation and other expenses had strengthened his belief that every Nigerian child should have access to quality education, regardless of their family background.

Tinubu disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, established under the Students Loans Act of 2024, had provided over N372 billion in loans to students to cover tuition and upkeep.

He also said the government’s technical and vocational education programme had attracted more than 2.8 million applications, while 38 technical colleges had been rehabilitated.

According to him, students in federal and selected state technical colleges now enjoy free tuition, boarding, textbooks and uniforms.

On university education, the President said his administration had reached a new agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, providing for a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and measures to improve stability in the nation’s universities.

He added that the government was investing N110 billion in the rehabilitation of 24 medical schools, while annual nursing enrolment had increased from 28,000 to 115,000.

Tinubu further disclosed that medical and dental student enrolment had risen from 5,000 to 12,000, while more than one million children previously out of school had returned to classrooms.

He said his administration was also investing in teacher development, expanding educational opportunities for girls and implementing a new national curriculum that would restore Nigerian History to classrooms.

The President commended the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and other members of the education team for their contributions to the reforms.

He urged Nigerians to explore the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative through its interactive A–Z platform at edu4pbat.ng and provide feedback on challenges affecting education in their communities.