The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has urged state governments across Nigeria to move beyond accessing education funds and ensure that available resources are fully deployed to programmes capable of producing measurable improvements in schools.
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The commission made the appeal during its 30th quarterly meeting with executive chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), held alongside a visit to the Delta State Government in Asaba. The meeting centred on the theme,“Repositioning Basic Education in Nigeria to Optimise Investment and Impact,” with discussions focusing on how funding, innovation and stronger implementation can translate into better learning environments.
UBEC commended Delta State for accessing its Universal Basic Education matching grants through 2025 and encouraged the state to take advantage of the education component of the World Bank-supported HOPE Education Programme, which has up to $500 million earmarked for education.
According to the commission, states seeking to qualify for the programme must access their 2026 matching grant and demonstrate that at least half of their 2025 Action Plan has been implemented.
Responding on behalf of the Delta State Government, Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme clarified the state’s position on unutilised funds. He said updated records placed the figure at approximately N1 billion, rather than the N8 billion previously reported. He also disclosed that Delta had completed about 90 per cent of its 2025 Action Plan and had already secured its 2026 matching grant.
The meeting also drew attention to Delta’s use of technology to improve accountability among teachers. UBEC highlighted the state’s Attend360 teacher-attendance system as an initiative that could offer useful lessons for strengthening monitoring and ensuring that educators are consistently present where they are most needed.
The commission’s emphasis was straightforward: funding alone cannot transform education. Resources must reach classrooms, teachers must be available to teach, and approved programmes must translate into visible improvements for learners. As UBEC’s executive secretary observed, quality learning cannot be separated from the presence of capable teachers in the classroom.
During a separate visit to the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, UBEC also called for deeper cooperation with traditional institutions. Azinge described basic education as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s future and stressed the importance of ensuring that vulnerable children, including those living with disabilities and those from disadvantaged communities, are not excluded from educational opportunities.
UBEC subsequently reaffirmed its commitment to working alongside state governments and SUBEBs to ensure that public investment in basic education produces outcomes that can be seen and felt within schools.
The broader message is unmistakable: Nigeria’s challenge is not simply to allocate more money to basic education, but to ensure that every available naira is converted into classrooms, teachers, learning materials and opportunities that health/">improve the educational experience of children across the country.
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