UBEC unveils ₦5.18bn school upgrade plan

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has launched a ₦5.18bn school improvement programme for the 2025 cycle.

The announcement was made in Abuja on Thursday during the national flag-off of the School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP).

Aisha Garba, the executive secretary of universal basic education commission  said the intervention reflects the Federal Government’s continued commitment to improving access to quality basic education.

Represented by Rasaq Akinyemi, the deputy executive secretary (Technical), Garba said the 2025 cycle will directly support 518 communities across the 36 states and the federal capital territory.

She explained that each state and the FCT will benefit from 14 schools under the scheme, with funding targeted at improving infrastructure in underserved communities.

According to her, the programme will focus on the renovation of dilapidated classrooms, provision of furniture, and improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools.

Garba noted that since inception, the SBMC-SIP has supported over 1,112 schools nationwide, with more than 13,000 community-based projects implemented.

She also announced the release of ₦434.5m as final tranche funding for the 2023 and 2024 cycles, which will facilitate the completion of 11,484 ongoing projects.

“This intervention demonstrates the government’s unwavering commitment to equitable access and improved learning outcomes,” she said.

UBEC also unveiled a new Learners’ Retention Programme designed to address poverty-related barriers and reduce school dropouts.

The initiative will initially target one million learners across eight states, backed by a ₦5bn budget.

Umaru Al-Makura, Chairman of the UBEC Board stressed that community participation remains central to the success of basic education reforms.

He warned that the intervention funds must be properly managed, saying they are not for arbitrary spending but for clearly defined projects that improve learning conditions.

Representing Maruf Alausa, the minister of education, Folake Davies said the programme aligns with national efforts to reduce Nigeria’s out-of-school children population.

She added that collaboration between government, communities, and development partners is essential to achieving sustainable improvements in the education sector.

UBEC reiterated that the combined interventions are designed not only to upgrade school infrastructure but also to improve enrolment, retention, and completion rates in basic education across the country.