UBEC releases N434.5m, sets aside N5.18bn for nationwide school upgrade

ABUJA — The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has disbursed N434.5 million as the final tranche of intervention funds to complete thousands of ongoing school projects across the country, while earmarking a fresh N5.18 billion for a new round of infrastructure upgrades targeting underserved communities.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the 2025 School-Based Management Committee-School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP) implementation and disbursement ceremony, alongside the launch of the Learner Retention Programme.

Represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Rasaq Akinyemi, Garba said the N434.5 million disbursement would support the completion of 11,484 ongoing projects in beneficiary schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

She explained that the projects span minor infrastructure rehabilitation, construction of classrooms, provision of furniture, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, all aimed at improving the learning environment in public schools.

Garba noted that the intervention underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening community participation in school governance and expanding access to quality basic education nationwide.

She described the SBMC-SIP as one of UBEC’s most impactful community-driven initiatives, stressing that schools perform better when local communities actively participate in their management and development.

According to her, the programme empowers communities to identify priority needs, take part in project execution, ensure accountability, and support enrolment and retention of pupils.

Providing further insight, Garba revealed that since its inception, the programme has supported 1,112 schools nationwide, with over N1.5 billion disbursed across multiple implementation cycles, resulting in 13,670 completed and ongoing community-led projects.

She added that the initiative is expected to bring more than 400,000 out-of-school children back into classrooms.

Looking ahead, the UBEC boss announced that under the 2025 SBMC-SIP cycle, N5.18 billion has been earmarked for disbursement to 518 communities nationwide, covering 14 schools in each state and the FCT, with priority given to areas facing severe infrastructure deficits.

She said the new intervention would focus on renovating dilapidated school structures, improving WASH facilities, and providing essential classroom furniture to enhance teaching and learning outcomes.

Garba emphasised that strict transparency, accountability and monitoring guidelines would guide the implementation process, with close collaboration between UBEC, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), and community stakeholders.

She also unveiled the Learner Retention Programme, a targeted initiative designed to address socio-economic barriers responsible for school dropouts.

The programme will, in its first phase, target one million learners across eight states with a budget of N5 billion.

According to her, the initiative aims to boost school attendance, reduce dropout rates, and strengthen parental commitment to children’s education.

Earlier, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to strengthen basic education delivery through improved infrastructure, community ownership, and learner retention strategies.

Represented by the Director of Basic Education, Folake Olatunji-David, the minister said the initiatives align with national education frameworks, including the Universal Basic Education Act 2004 and the National Policy on Education, as well as Nigeria’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive and equitable quality education.

He added that the programmes would consolidate gains under existing interventions such as HOPE-EDU and the Better Education Service Delivery for All Additional Financing (BESDA AF), while reinforcing decentralised governance and grassroots participation in school development.

“Our children deserve quality education in safe, inclusive and supportive environments,” he said, assuring that the Federal Government would continue to provide policy direction, funding support and leadership to the sector.