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Introduction

In this interview, Aisha Garba, Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), speaks with Jide Akintunde, Managing Editor, Financial Nigeria publications, on the reform initiatives at UBEC. A former Senior Education Specialist at the World Bank, Dr. Garba has over 24 years of experience driving impactful education programmes for human and economic development, working in Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Kenya, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

Jide Akintunde (JA): Education reform is often seen as a continuous process. However, strong foundations matter. What are the key foundational works UBEC has undertaken to support long-term reform of Nigeria’s basic education system?

Aisha Garba (AG): Education reform is indeed continuous, but without a strong foundation, it becomes episodic rather than transformative. When we assumed office a little over a year ago, our first priority at the Universal Basic Education Commission was to confront the structural weaknesses that had persisted for decades, including weak planning systems, fragmented financing, uneven state performance, outdated curriculum delivery, and limited accountability mechanisms.

The most important foundational work we have done is the development and operationalisation of the 2025–2031 UBEC Strategic Blueprint. This blueprint is not a policy document for shelf storage. Rather, it is a reform architecture. It provides a unified national framework that aligns federal priorities, state-level delivery, and partner-supported interventions around four mutually reinforcing pillars, namely quality teaching and learning, equity and access, sustainable financing, and institutional strengthening.

A second critical foundation has been the modernisation of planning and financing systems. For over two decades, states relied on an outdated, 20-year-old Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP) template that was not performance-oriented. We redesigned the BEAP into a digitised, flexible and results-based planning tool supported by a Rapid Assessment framework. This reform alone has changed how states diagnose problems, prioritise interventions, and deploy resources based on their specific needs. It shifted planning from wish lists to evidence-driven action.

Third, we strengthened the financing architecture of basic education by reforming the Matching Grant Utilisation Formula. By expanding eligible expenditure categories to include Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE), ICT, digital learning systems, quality assurance, and data infrastructure, we aligned funding more closely with learning outcomes, improvement in quality of education, and the provision of conducive learning environments rather than just the construction of new physical infrastructure. We developed and updated minimum standards on infrastructure, teaching, and learning materials to regulate the sector in line with our mandate. This foundational reform unlocked access to over ₦200 billion in previously unutilised matching grants by 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2025.

Another foundational achievement has been institutional strengthening within UBEC itself. We conducted a comprehensive organisational assessment and implemented structural reforms, clarifying roles, strengthening performance management, creating new departments for data analytics, public private partnerships, and digital transformation, and investing in staff capacity development. A reform institution must itself be fit for purpose. We strengthen partnerships with State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and collaborations with other agencies and development partners to align and harmonise activities within basic education. 

Finally, we placed data and accountability at the centre of reform. From digitised quality assurance tools to strengthened Educational Management Information System (EMIS) and groundwork for a unified National Learning Assessment Framework, UBEC is moving the system from anecdotal decision-making to evidence-based governance.

Taken together, these foundations are designed to ensure that reforms endure beyond political cycles, enable real-time tracking of school performance, and deliver sustained improvements in learning outcomes.

JA: Would you like to provide further highlights on the goals of UBEC’s policy reform, particularly regarding infrastructure development and learning environments?

AG: Infrastructure is a means, not an end. UBEC’s policy reform reframes infrastructure development as part of a broader learning ecosystem rather than isolated construction projects.

Our primary goal is to ensure that every child learns in a safe, inclusive, and enabling environment. This means a whole school approach – classrooms that are not overcrowded, schools with water and sanitation facilities, solar power, secure perimeters, appropriate furniture, and infrastructure that is responsive to gender, disability, and climate realities.

In 2025 alone, UBEC and the SUBEBs jointly constructed 4,633 new classrooms, renovated 7,058 classrooms, established 257 new schools, delivered 2,350 ECCDE centres, installed 3,458 Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, constructed 11,280 perimeter fences, and distributed 333,862 units of school furniture. These interventions improved learning conditions for over 4.2 million learners nationwide.

However, the deeper reform lies in how infrastructure decisions are made. Through revised Minimum Basic Education Standards, infrastructure planning is now tied to safety, inclusion, and functionality, rather than just numbers. Schools must meet standards on disability access, gender-sensitive WASH, conducive learning environment, solar power, ICT readiness, and child protection.

We have also expanded the Smart and Model Schools Programme, integrating digital technology, renewable energy, and inclusive learning spaces. These schools serve as demonstration hubs for future-ready education and innovation.

Ultimately, our infrastructure reform goal is to eliminate the physical barriers that keep children out of school, while creating environments that actively support effective teaching and learning.

JA: The education curriculum has been updated. In adapting education policy and curriculum to Nigeria’s needs, what innovative teaching and learning strategies is UBEC implementing with stakeholders?

AG: Curriculum reform without pedagogical reform is incomplete. In this regard, UBEC’s approach has been to align what is taught, how it is taught, and how learning is assessed.

First, we initiated a comprehensive curriculum review in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council. The revised curriculum integrates digital literacy, entrepreneurship, critical thinking, problem-solving, and civic competence, while remaining culturally relevant and aligned with national development priorities.

Second, we launched Nigeria’s largest Teacher Professional Development programme, backed by a ₦22 billion investment, targeting 978,800 teachers nationwide. By the end of 2025, 244,092 teachers had already been trained in inclusive pedagogy, structured lesson delivery, psychosocial support, and digital literacy. This programme represents a shift from fragmented workshops to a standardised, nationally coordinated professional development framework.

Third, we piloted the Structured Pedagogy programme in selected states. This approach combines lesson guides, continuous assessment tools, and ongoing coaching by School Support Officers. Early evidence shows improved instructional quality and learner engagement.

Fourth, technology integration is another major area of our innovation. UBEC expanded the Smart Schools Programme from six to 21 fully operational schools, equipped with interactive classrooms, digital content studios, and blended learning systems powered by renewable energy. We also distributed smartboards, tablets, desktop computers, and over 400,000 library materials nationwide.

Finally, we are laying the groundwork for a Unified National Learning Assessment Framework, which will enable Nigeria to systematically track literacy and numeracy outcomes, inform instruction, and participate meaningfully in global assessments.

Together, these strategies are moving the system from rote learning to competency-based, learner-centred education, while enabling critical thinking.

JA: Quite a lot has been done in the reform process within a very short time. Would you like to specially highlight some of the strides UBEC has made in learning outcomes, enrolment, and addressing critical gaps across the basic education system?

AG: The most important shift has been from inputs to measurable outcomes.

On access and enrolment, UBEC supported the reintegration of 700,000 out-of-school children into formal education in partnership with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education. Enrolment drives conducted with UNICEF and state governments mobilised communities across multiple regions, supported by data-backed targeting and School-Based Management Committee engagement.

On learning outcomes, while systemic change takes time, early indicators are promising. Teacher training, structured pedagogy pilots, improved availability of textbooks and teaching aids, and digital learning interventions are already improving classroom practice. Over 4.2 million learners were directly impacted by quality and access interventions in 2025 alone.

Critical gaps in teacher deployment, infrastructure quality, data availability, and financing utilisation are being addressed simultaneously rather than in silos. For instance, teacher training is now linked to curriculum reform and assessment systems, while infrastructure delivery is tied to enrolment and retention strategies. We also launched a digital platform for teacher capacity-building training, providing teachers with access to tailored capacity-building modules and a stipend.

The result is a more coherent reform trajectory that addresses the root causes of issues rather than their symptoms.

JA: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prioritised education under the Renewed Hope Agenda. How has this translated in UBEC’s work?

AG: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has provided both political clarity and reform momentum. Education is positioned as a core driver of human capital development, productivity, and social cohesion.

For UBEC, this has translated into strong alignment with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative and flagship programmes such as HOPE-EDU. The emphasis on performance, accountability, and results mirrors our own reform priorities.

Crucially, the Renewed Hope Agenda has strengthened intergovernmental collaboration. High-level engagement with governors, supported by data-driven performance dashboards, helped unlock over ₦100 billion in matching grants in 2025. This political backing has accelerated reforms that previously stalled due to bureaucratic inertia.

The presidential agenda has also reinforced the push for digital transformation, skills development, and inclusive access, areas where UBEC is already making significant investments.

JA: How would you validate UBEC’s stakeholder engagement and partnership approach in delivering results?

AG: Basic education reform cannot be delivered by one institution working alone. With this understanding, UBEC’s role is that of a system convener and enabler.

We have strengthened alignment with the Federal Ministry of Education under a One Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and an education-sector-wide approach to ensure unified reporting and shared accountability. At the state level, we have institutionalised quarterly performance reviews with State Universal Basic Education Boards and established a strategic partnership with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

Our partnerships with development partners, including the World Bank, UNICEF, Korea International Cooperation Agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the Islamic Development Bank, are outcome-driven and embedded within national systems rather than parallel structures. UBEC mobilised external resources of over $550 million from the World Bank and GPE, and technical assistance from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, UNICEF, UNESCO, and other partners.

The private sector is increasingly engaged through our Public Private Partnership framework, particularly in digital learning and school improvement.

At the community level, the School-Based Management Committee – School Improvement Programme has empowered schools and parents to drive micro-level improvements, reinforcing ownership and sustainability.

Improved grant utilisation, expanded access, and stronger coordination validate this approach.

JA: What drives you and your team at UBEC?

AG: What drives us is a deep sense of moral urgency. Basic education is the largest sector; we have over 47 million children enrolled, while 15 million are out of school.  Every child out of school, every classroom without a teacher, and every learner unable to read or count represents not just a statistic, but a lost opportunity for the nation.

At UBEC, we are driven by a shared commitment to equity, quality, and accountability. The reforms we pursue are not abstract. They address real issues that affect children, families, and communities.

We are also driven by the belief that Nigeria can get basic education reform right. With the right systems, leadership, and partnerships, basic education can become the foundation of our national transformation for many generations to come. 

JA: What major milestones are targeted in the near term, and what is your outlook for 2026?

AG: In the near term, our priorities include scaling teacher professional development to reach the full 978,800 teachers target of 2026; covering all the 2 million teachers by 2027-28; operationalising the National Learning Assessment Framework; upgrading all our schools to minimum standards to create conducive learning environment; continuing construction of community based schools to cater for out of school children; digitalising our existing public schools with ICT tools and expanding Smart and Model Schools; deepening performance-based financing reforms; and advancing legislative amendments to the UBE Act.

In 2026, I am optimistic that Nigeria will see increased enrollment, reduction of out-of-school children, clearer improvements in literacy and numeracy outcomes, stronger state-level ownership of reforms, and a more resilient basic education system that works and will stand the test of time.

The foundation has been laid. The task now is disciplined execution and sustained commitment.