The Federal Ministry of Education has addressed recent media reports alleging financial and administrative misconduct against the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Aisha Garba.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the Ministry confirmed it is aware of the allegations and has already reviewed the matter internally.
The statement emphasized that the Ministry maintains full confidence in Dr. Garba’s leadership, describing her as a seasoned development expert with over two decades of experience in the education and international development sectors.
Since assuming office, Dr. Garba has been at the forefront of major reforms aimed at improving access, equity, and quality in basic education across Nigeria.
Under her leadership, UBEC has made significant strides, including the construction of thousands of new classrooms and renovation of existing ones, the establishment of Early Childhood Care Development and Education centres, and the distribution of millions of textbooks.
Over 147,000 teachers have been trained during her tenure, and nearly 978,800 teachers have benefited from a newly launched national teacher professional development programme.
In partnership with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), UBEC has also initiated curriculum reforms that introduce digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking into the learning process.
The Commission has introduced key financing reforms through the Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP) and a revised Matching Grant formula to promote more flexible and results-based planning.
As a result, 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory have accessed ₦78.6 billion from the ₦120 billion allocated for the 2024 UBE intervention fund.
UBEC has also strengthened collaboration with stakeholders such as the Federal and State Ministries of Education, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and international development partners including the World Bank, UNICEF, KOICA, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the Islamic Development Bank.
Through its School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP), the Commission has supported over 15,000 grassroots projects aimed at deepening community involvement in the educational process.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting UBEC and similar institutions in delivering the goals of Nigeria’s basic education policy. It also encouraged all stakeholders to continue working collaboratively to sustain the progress achieved in the sector.
