UBEC Unlocks N100bn Dormant Grants To Upgrade Basic Education

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) says it has unlocked more than N100 billion in previously unaccessed matching grants, paving the way for major investments in basic education infrastructure and learning across Nigeria.

UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, disclosed this during a media parley with members of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja, saying the funds, which had remained dormant because some states and the Federal Capital Territory failed to access them, are now being channelled into improving public primary and junior secondary schools.

Garba said the intervention, implemented in collaboration with State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), has led to the construction of over 4,600 classrooms, the renovation of more than 6,100 classrooms, the rehabilitation of 2,780 toilet facilities and the drilling of 678 boreholes to improve access to clean water in schools.

She also said UBEC has established more than 2,300 Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) centres to strengthen foundational learning for young children.

On teacher development, Garba revealed that the commission has invested over N20.4 billion in professional development and school leadership programmes aimed at improving the quality of teaching and education management.

She added that UBEC is expanding digital literacy centres, strengthening smart schools and introducing artificial intelligence, coding and robotics into the basic education curriculum to equip pupils with skills for the digital economy.

According to her, the commission has also distributed more than 7.8 million instructional materials to schools nationwide to support literacy, numeracy and foundational learning, while continuing to promote accountability through the Effective Schools Programme and stronger School-Based Management Committees.

Garba reaffirmed UBEC’s commitment to ensuring every Nigerian child has access to safe, inclusive and quality basic education.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, commended UBEC for establishing a communications department and called for regular engagement with education correspondents through media briefings, training workshops and project inspection visits.

ECAN Chairman, Chuks Ukwatu, described the meeting as the commission’s first direct engagement with education reporters and urged UBEC to involve journalists in monitoring projects across the states to enhance transparency and public accountability.