Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has partnered with the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development to mobilise conventional and non secular establishments in tackling the problem of out-of-school kids and bettering entry to primary schooling throughout the nation.
The partnership, formalised by way of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is aimed toward figuring out out-of-school kids, facilitating their enrolment in faculties and strengthening neighborhood participation in class attendance, retention and completion.
Speaking on the MoU signing ceremony, UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Rasaq Akinyemi, stated the collaboration would strengthen the connection between authorities schooling insurance policies and grassroots mobilisation.
She stated the administration recognises schooling as a crucial basis for nationwide growth and human capital development, noting that UBEC’s interventions have been designed to translate the federal government’s schooling agenda into measurable enhancements within the primary schooling sector.
Garba additionally acknowledged the coverage path of the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, saying their dedication to increasing inclusive entry, strengthening institutional coordination and bettering studying outcomes continued to information the fee’s programmes.
Highlighting UBEC’s achievements, she disclosed that the fee, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), had facilitated the development of greater than 4,900 lecture rooms, renovation of present college services and provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services throughout the nation.
According to her, the infrastructure interventions had straight benefited greater than 2.3 million learners as of the top of 2025.
She added that UBEC had additionally intensified community-driven college enchancment programmes and instructor skilled growth initiatives to strengthen college administration and enhance educating and studying outcomes.
The government secretary, nevertheless, burdened that sustaining the features recorded within the sector required stronger neighborhood possession and the energetic involvement of conventional establishments, non secular leaders, mother and father and different stakeholders.
Under the settlement, UBEC and the Sultan Foundation will set up nationwide, state and native coordinating committees to drive schooling advocacy and grassroots mobilisation, with conventional and non secular leaders anticipated to play main roles in encouraging households to prioritise kids’s schooling.
The partnership may also contain the manufacturing and distribution of advocacy supplies in Hausa, Fulfulde and Yoruba languages, household-level identification of out-of-school kids and their enrolment in close by faculties.
It will additional strengthen neighborhood monitoring of faculty attendance, retention and completion, whereas introducing accountability mechanisms to recognise communities, faculties and conventional leaders that file measurable progress in increasing entry to primary schooling.
Garba notably highlighted the significance of conventional and non secular leaders in selling women’ schooling and addressing cultural and social boundaries that stop kids, particularly these in underserved communities, from accessing formal schooling.
She stated the effectiveness of the partnership can be assessed by way of elevated enrolment, improved attendance and retention, higher studying outcomes and a sustained discount within the variety of out-of-school kids.
In his remarks, the Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, who represented Governor Nasir Idris, recommended the Sultan Foundation for its contributions to well being and social growth, notably by way of interventions supported by growth companions, together with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Tafida stated the state appreciated the Foundation’s dedication to bettering the welfare and academic alternatives of susceptible kids, describing its assist for deprived teams as in keeping with the values of Islam and humanity.
He additionally conveyed the goodwill of the Kebbi State Government to UBEC, the Sultan Foundation and the Nasara Foundation.
Garba reaffirmed UBEC’s dedication to consolidating the Federal Government’s schooling reforms by way of sustained investments, stronger partnerships and improved collaboration with state governments and different stakeholders.
She stated the fee would proceed to implement programmes aimed toward guaranteeing that each Nigerian youngster had entry to high quality primary schooling, whereas constructing on present achievements below the Renewed Hope Agenda.
