The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has pledged renewed efforts to combat the persistent problem of out-of-school children across Nigeria.
The pledge focuses on strengthening access to quality basic education for vulnerable communities.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day management retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, UBEC’s Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, emphasised the urgent need to remove barriers preventing millions of children—especially those from impoverished and rural backgrounds—from enrolling in school.
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The retreat, themed “Repositioning UBEC for Sustainable Basic Education Delivery in Nigeria,” is being held at the Ibom Icon Hotel & Golf Resort and aims to develop new strategies to improve access and equity in the country’s education system.
Garba lamented the slow progress in early childhood enrolment and expressed concern over the growing disparity in the teacher-pupil ratio, which she said was putting pressure on already overstretched classrooms and affecting learning outcomes.
“The figures between 2018 and 2022 show only marginal growth in enrolment for children aged three to five. Coupled with a shrinking teacher base, the quality of education is increasingly at risk,” she said.
She also reiterated that the Federal Ministry of Education remains fully committed to strengthening UBEC’s operational capacity in delivering inclusive and quality education nationwide.
Highlighting previous efforts, Garba noted that UBEC, working with State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), had made notable progress in expanding school infrastructure—constructing thousands of new schools and refurbishing dilapidated classrooms across the country.
However, she raised concerns over the inability of some states to access federal education grants due to administrative bottlenecks, which continue to hinder progress in key areas such as infrastructure, teacher recruitment, and instructional materials.
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“While we have steadily increased funding to address infrastructure and classroom congestion, challenges remain—particularly with states that delay accessing matching grants critical for project implementation,” she added.
The retreat also aims to explore solutions to improve fund utilisation, promote inclusive policies, and ensure that Nigeria moves closer to its universal basic education goals.
