The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved the restoration of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education as an independent body.

The Council, chaired by President Bola Tinubu, also imposed a six-year moratorium on new tertiary institutions and approved reforms to recognise medical fellowships as PhD equivalents. Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting, Minister of Education Tunji Alausa highlighted the commission’s revival, which had earlier been downgraded to a unit within the ministry.

He said: “In view of Mr. President’s expansive agenda to educate over 50 million young adults in the next two to three years, and to make them digitally literate. “We sought the approval of the Council to revert it to a commission, which Mr. President, as chairman, graciously approved.” He emphasised the urgency amid Nigeria’s literacy crisis, saying: “Today, we have about 56 million Nigerians that are illiterate.

“We can’t continue to have a high number of citizens that are illiterate.” The commission, established in 2013, will now intensify efforts in rural areas using radio, TV, public advocacy, and community schools.

“The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education has done a good job in educating people in the rural areas. “So we’re happy today that this commission is back as a commission.”

On medical education, Alausa announced amendments to the National Postgraduate Medical College Act, developed with the Attorney General, to eliminate barriers for superspecialised doctors.

He said: “We need to remove the dichotomy of doctors who spent almost 16 years from medical school and their residency, and then doing their fellowship, becoming super specialized. “The kind of degree we need in Nigeria today for doctors is MBBS, Master of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.” The changes address issues where medical professionals require a PhD for professorship despite equivalent expertise.