UBEC unveils reforms, unlocks N100bn matching grants to overhaul basic education nationwide
By Uji A. Iliyasu Abuja
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has commenced a new phase of reforms targeted at repositioning Nigeria’s basic education sector, with more than N100bn in previously unaccessed matching grants now released to states and the Federal Capital Territory for the upgrade of school infrastructure.
Speaking at a media luncheon with education correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, said the intervention is anchored on the commission’s 2025–2031 Strategic Blueprint, which is aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda to enhance learning outcomes across the country.
Garba said the commission had moved beyond policy pronouncements to measurable delivery, noting that the recovered funds were already being deployed to refurbish schools and create better conditions for teaching and learning for millions of Nigerian pupils.
She disclosed that the intervention, carried out in collaboration with State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), has so far produced over 4,600 newly built classrooms and the renovation of more than 6,100 others across the federation.
She said the projects have also delivered 2,780 toilet facilities, 678 boreholes and upwards of 334,000 units of classroom furniture, all aimed at improving learning conditions in public schools.
The UBEC boss further revealed that the Commission has established more than 2,300 Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) centres, designed to give young Nigerians a strong educational foundation ahead of primary school.
On the quality of education, Garba said UBEC had invested over ₦20.4bn in teacher professional development, school leadership and accountability, through initiatives such as the Effective Schools Programme and strengthened School-Based Management Committees.
She added that the commission was also preparing pupils for the future through the expansion of Digital Literacy Centres, Smart Schools, and programmes in Artificial Intelligence, Coding and Robotics, alongside the distribution of over 7.8 million instructional materials to reinforce literacy, numeracy and foundational learning nationwide.
Garba noted that UBEC’s intervention extends beyond infrastructure to inclusive education, citing the Commission’s support for Open Schooling, Integrated Qur’anic and Tsangaya Education, girl-child education and programmes for children with special needs.
She explained that new institutional reforms introduced by the Commission were designed to strengthen transparency, project monitoring and data-driven decision-making, to guarantee greater value for every naira invested in basic education.
The Executive Secretary, however, stressed that sustaining the gains recorded so far would require stronger financial commitment from state governments.
With about 40 million pupils currently enrolled in basic education, and millions more still out of school, she called on state governments to raise their education funding beyond the current five per cent intervention benchmark.
Garba explained that half of UBEC’s intervention funds are earmarked for infrastructure development, school maintenance and service delivery, while canvassing the adoption of direct school financing to empower school administrators to carry out routine maintenance and address urgent needs without delay.
She further called for closer collaboration among governments, communities, parents and development partners to drive school enrolment, improve learning outcomes and guarantee every Nigerian child access to quality basic education.
Describing the media as a strategic partner in the reform agenda, Garba said journalists have a vital role to play in promoting transparency, accountability and public confidence in ongoing education reforms, adding that the Commission looks forward to sustained engagement with the press through regular briefings, project visits and success stories.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, commended UBEC for setting up a communications department, and urged the commission to sustain regular engagement with education correspondents through periodic briefings, training programmes and project inspection visits.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN), Chuks Ukwuatu, welcomed the initiative, describing it as the commission’s first direct interaction with education reporters.
He called for greater inclusion of journalists in field visits outside Abuja, to enhance accurate and comprehensive reporting of UBEC’s projects nationwide.