Tinubu: I drove taxi, juggled jobs in the US to fund my education

President Bola Tinubu says he worked several jobs in the United States during his undergraduate days at the Chicago State University (CSU).

The president shared this in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, in which he explained how his experiences in the US have shaped the education policies and reforms of his administration.

Tunji Alausa, minister of education, had on Tuesday said Tinubu studied accounting at CSU and graduated with a first class, describing him as a genius.

However, the president said it was not all rosy when he arrived in America, as he had to juggle several jobs to secure a first degree.
“When I first arrived in the United States as a young man, I drove a taxi to earn money for my education. I even had to postpone starting school for several months to save enough,” he said.

“When I eventually got to Chicago, I worked different jobs to support myself and pay my way through university. I know what it means to worry about tuition, accommodation and how to make ends meet while pursuing an education.”

The president said those experiences stayed with him and shaped his belief that every Nigerian child deserves the same opportunity he had, “regardless of where they are born or what their parents can afford”.
Citing a slew of achievements, Tinubu said education remains a major priority of his administration.

He said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has provided over N372 billion in student loans for institutional fees and upkeep.

“Our technical and vocational education programme has attracted over 2.8 million applications,” he said.

“We have rehabilitated 38 technical colleges, while students in federal and selected state technical colleges now benefit from free school fees, boarding, textbooks and uniforms.”
The president also cited the agreement signed with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in January, which provided for a 40 percent increase in academic staff remuneration and measures to improve stability in universities.

“A four-year course must take four years. Our young people deserve to complete their education on time and get on with their lives,” he said.

He added that in medical education, about N110 billion has been invested in rehabilitating 24 medical schools.

He said annual nursing enrolment had increased from 28,000 to 115,000, while medical and dental enrolment had risen from 5,000 to 12,000.
“Nigeria needs more doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, and we must build the capacity to train them here at home,” he said.

‘OUR CHILDREN MUST KNOW WHERE WE ARE FROM’
He noted that over one million out-of-school children had returned to learning, adding that his administration is also investing in teacher development, expanding educational opportunities for girls and implementing a new national curriculum that restores Nigerian history to classrooms.

“Our children must know where we have come from, understand the country they belong to, and be prepared to take responsibility for its future,” he said.
The president commended Alausa, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, minister of state for education, and the entire education team for their dedication.

He said he was particularly pleased that the team had developed an interactive A–Z of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which brings together reforms, programmes, achievements and opportunities across the education system.
The president invited Nigerians to visit edu4pbat.ng to explore the platform.

“If you are a parent, find out what opportunities are available for your children. If you are a student, explore the programmes you can benefit from. If you are a teacher, see what support is available,” he said.

“And if something is not working as it should in your community, I want to hear about it. Your feedback will help us identify problems and address them.”

He added that the journey “from reform to opportunities and shared prosperity must begin with education”.

“The circumstances of a child’s birth should never determine the limits of their ambition. Our responsibility is to give every Nigerian child a fair chance to fulfil their potential,” he said.

“We have more work to do, and I am determined to see it through.”