The government is targeting about 20,000 admissions into medical schools each year within the next three years, up from the current figure of nearly 12,000.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Medical Simulation Committee.
The development was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Office of the Minister of Education and signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.
Alausa said the proposed
simulation centres would provide practical, hands-on training for students studying medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and other allied health professions.
According to him, the facilities are expected to strengthen the quality of healthcare education while providing institutions with the capacity to accommodate the growing number of students enrolling in health-related programmes.
The minister said the expansion had become necessary following a sharp rise in enrolment across several health disciplines.
He disclosed that nursing enrolment had grown from about 38,000 students three years ago to more than 120,000 currently.
Similarly, annual admission into medical schools has risen from roughly 5,000 students when President Bola Tinubu assumed office to almost 12,000 at present.
Alausa said the Federal Government intends to raise the figure to approximately 20,000 medical students annually over the next three years.
He added that admission numbers in pharmacy and dental programmes had also increased.
The minister commended the chairman of the Medical Simulation Committee, Dr Wale Suleiman, and other members for their work in developing the proposal and preparing the report.
He said the planned centres would help address the challenge of providing adequate practical exposure to the increasing number of students entering healthcare professions.
The initiative comes amid continuing concerns over the migration of Nigerian-trained doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to foreign countries in search of better pay, improved working conditions and career opportunities.
The government hopes that strengthening medical education and expanding training capacity will contribute to the development of a larger and better-equipped healthcare workforce capable of meeting the country’s future needs.
Alausa said the initiative reflected President Tinubu’s commitment to improving the quality of education and investing in Nigeria’s human capital.
He maintained that the administration would continue to pursue measures aimed at ensuring that Nigerian students receive high-quality education and practical training.
