The newly appointed UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, has pledged to enhance basic education delivery in Nigeria. Speaking during meeting with members of management and staff of the commission, she emphasized education as a universal right and lamented the country’s high number of out-of-school children, currently estimated at 17 million. Garba highlighted challenges such as low learning outcomes, poor completion rates, and limited access to higher education, citing alarming statistics.
She outlined her vision to address these issues by increasing access, improving quality, and creating safe, conducive learning environments. Key strategies include leveraging partnerships, deploying targeted interventions, integrating technology, upgrading school infrastructure, and focusing on inclusivity, particularly for children with special needs and the girl-child.
The ES called for collaboration with stakeholders, including state governments, development partners, and community leaders, to expand education access, reduce out-of-school numbers, and optimize UBEC Matching Grants. Her leadership will prioritize tailored, region-specific solutions and a multi-sectoral approach to drive meaningful reforms in basic education.