By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The Federal Ministry of Education has declared its full confidence in the leadership of the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Aisha Garba, amid recent media reports alleging financial and administrative misconduct.
In a statement released Tuesday by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the Ministry confirmed that it is aware of the allegations and has conducted an internal review, which found no basis to question Dr. Garba’s integrity or performance.
The Ministry described Dr. Garba as a seasoned development expert with over two decades of experience in education and international development, noting her pivotal role in the ongoing transformation of Nigeria’s basic education sector.
Since her appointment, Dr. Garba has spearheaded multiple initiatives aimed at improving access, equity, and quality in basic education.
Under her leadership, UBEC has constructed 4,951 new classrooms, renovated 3,070, established Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) centres, and distributed over 5 million textbooks.
More than 147,000 teachers have been trained, and a national teacher professional development programme has reached nearly 978,800 educators.
On the financial front, UBEC has introduced reforms to the Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP), and the Matching Grant formula, promoting results-based planning.
These changes have enabled 28 states and the FCT to access ₦78.6 billion out of the ₦120 billion 2024 UBE intervention fund.
The Commission has also deepened collaboration with key stakeholders, including Federal and State Ministries of Education, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and development partners such as the World Bank, UNICEF, KOICA, FCDO, and the Islamic Development Bank.
Through its School-Based Management Committee-School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP), UBEC has supported over 15,000 community-led projects, boosting grassroots participation in school development.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting UBEC’s mandate and called on stakeholders to sustain their cooperation in advancing the goals of Nigeria’s basic education policy.
