The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) says about 8.7 million learners across Nigeria have benefited from improved learning conditions and instructional materials under ongoing reforms in the basic education sector.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the 29th Quarterly Meeting of UBEC Management with Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) on Tuesday in Abuja.

The event has the theme ”Accelerating Basic Education Performance Through Digitally Enabled Coordination.”

Ms Garba said the achievements followed coordinated implementation of reforms under the 2025–2031 Strategic Blueprint aimed at strengthening education delivery nationwide.

She added that more than 244,000 teachers had also been trained in inclusive pedagogy and digital literacy to improve teaching quality and learning outcomes.

According to her, UBEC’s renewed approach repositioned the commission beyond a funding institution to a system enabler focused on alignment, accountability and measurable impact across states.

“Over the past year, we have entered a decisive phase in the evolution of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme.

“Throughout 2025, our focus shifted from diagnosing systemic challenges to implementing coordinated, large-scale reforms under the 2025-2031 Strategic Blueprint. This transition reflects our renewed role, not only as a funding institution but also as a systems enabler, driving alignment, strengthening delivery, and ensuring that impact is felt across all states.

“The results of this collective effort are already evident. Over 8.7 million learners have benefited from improved learning conditions and instructional materials, while more than 244,000 teachers have been equipped with skills in inclusive pedagogy and digital literacy.”

The executive secretary also said that sustained data-driven advocacy enabled the commission to unlock over N100 billion in previously unaccessed matching grants, with 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) currently accessing basic education funds.

She noted that revised matching grant guidelines had been finalised to ensure transparency, efficiency and improved utilisation of education resources.

She added that procurement performance improved significantly, recording a 95 per cent completion rate for 2024 projects, resulting in timely delivery of interventions nationwide.

Ms Garba also explained that digitisation remained central to UBEC’s reform agenda through the Digitalisation of Public Schools Initiative implemented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education.

She said that the initiative expanded access to digital learning platforms, strengthened teachers’ digital capacity and enhanced classroom instruction through interactive content.

She urged SUBEB chairmen to institutionalise digital systems in planning, monitoring and implementation processes to strengthen accountability and improve learning outcomes.

Also speaking at the event, the Kwara SUBEB chairman, Shehu Adaramaja, emphasised the need for education stakeholders to adopt digital tools to strengthen coordination and improve policy implementation in Nigeria’s basic education sector.

Mr Adaramaja said digital tools were no longer optional in coordinating activities between the UBE programme and state education boards.

According to him, effective coordination remains central to achieving educational goals.

He warned that fragmented communication and delayed processes often weakened even well-designed policies.

On his part, the UNICEF Education Manager, Jutaro Sakamoto, called for the training and retraining of teachers to enhance optimal performance.

He also pledged UNICEF’s support to the universal basic education sub-sector in the country.

(NAN)