UBEC Unlocks Over ₦100bn for School Upgrades, Teacher Development and Digital Learning Drive By Beauty Akporido Aroh
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has recorded significant gains in Nigeria’s basic education sector, mobilising over ₦100 billion in previously unaccessed matching grants and deploying the funds to improve school infrastructure, teacher capacity development and digital learning initiatives across the country.
Speaking during a media luncheon with education correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, said the Commission is implementing a results-driven agenda anchored on its 2025–2031 Strategic Blueprint and aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to her, UBEC is shifting from policy reforms to tangible outcomes that directly impact learners, teachers and communities.
> “We are moving beyond reforms to delivering measurable results,” she said while highlighting key achievements recorded through the Commission’s interventions nationwide.
Dr Garba disclosed that through collaboration with state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the Commission has facilitated the construction of more than 4,600 new classrooms, renovation of over 6,100 classrooms, provision of 2,780 toilets, and drilling of 678 boreholes to improve the learning environment in schools.
She added that UBEC has supplied over 334,000 pieces of school furniture and supported the establishment of more than 2,300 Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) Centres, strengthening access to foundational education for young learners.
The Executive Secretary identified teacher quality as a critical pillar of sustainable education reform, revealing that the Commission has invested more than ₦20.4 billion in teacher professional development programmes nationwide.
According to her, these investments support initiatives such as the Effective Schools Programme and the strengthening of School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) aimed at improving classroom instruction, school leadership and accountability.
On digital education, Dr Garba said UBEC is accelerating efforts to prepare Nigerian children for a technology-driven future through the expansion of Digital Literacy Centres, enhancement of Smart Schools, and the promotion of training in artificial intelligence, coding and robotics.
She further revealed that the Commission has distributed over 7.8 million instructional materials to schools across the country to support literacy, numeracy and foundational learning outcomes.
Beyond infrastructure development, she noted that UBEC is broadening access to education through Open Schooling programmes, integration of Qur’anic and Tsangaya education, as well as targeted interventions for girl-child education and inclusive learning.
Dr Garba explained that ongoing institutional reforms are focused on improving transparency, strengthening project monitoring mechanisms and promoting data-driven decision-making to ensure that investments translate into better outcomes for Nigerian children.
In her goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, described journalists as indispensable partners in advancing accountability and transparency within the education sector.
She noted that the media plays a critical role in amplifying achievements, exposing challenges and ensuring that education policies and interventions receive the public attention they deserve.
Ike called for sustained engagement between UBEC and education correspondents through regular briefings, project visits and collaborative storytelling initiatives that capture both progress and existing gaps in the sector.
She also emphasised the need for improved access to education data, enhanced capacity-building opportunities for journalists and greater transparency in project implementation.
“To strengthen this partnership, UBEC can provide education correspondents with quarterly or biannual briefings and press kits, organise capacity-building workshops on interpreting education data and child-friendly reporting, and facilitate field visits to UBEC-funded projects,” she said.
She further advocated collaborative public awareness campaigns, improved access to information on projects and procurement processes, investigative journalism support initiatives and dedicated feedback channels for journalists.
According to her, government, communities, teachers, development partners and the media must work together to guarantee that every Nigerian child enjoys access to safe, inclusive and quality basic education.
> “Together, we can ensure the story of every Nigerian child’s right to quality basic education is told with accuracy, context and urgency,” she added.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN), Chux Ukwuatu, called for deeper collaboration between UBEC and education journalists.
He urged the Commission to include selected education correspondents in project inspection tours and field visits outside Abuja to enable firsthand assessment of UBEC interventions across the country.
Ukwuatu also appealed for logistical support during official assignments and improved accessibility to information about the Commission’s activities.
“If journalists see projects on the ground, their stories will better reflect both successes and gaps, informing the public, improving scrutiny and ultimately strengthening education programmes,” he said.
The engagement marks the first structured collaboration between UBEC and education correspondents in more than nine years, signalling a renewed commitment to transparency, stakeholder engagement and public accountability in the basic education sector.
Observers say the initiative reflects Dr Garba’s determination to reposition UBEC, address longstanding challenges and accelerate access to quality universal basic education for millions of Nigerian children.
The renewed partnership has also gained momentum under the leadership of Mr Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Education, whose efforts have strengthened engagement between the education sector and the media.
