The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has criticised states for failing to fully access and utilise more than N332 billion earmarked for basic education, warning that delays in deploying the funds are undermining efforts to improve learning conditions across the country.
The UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, disclosed this in Asaba, Delta State, at the commission’s 30th Quarterly Meeting with chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs).
Garba said states had accessed more than N177 billion in UBE Matching Grants, but over N65 billion in counterpart funds remained unaccessed, while N267 billion in previously released intervention funds was yet to be utilised.
She said the figures were particularly concerning given the persistent challenges confronting basic education, including inadequate classrooms, poor sanitation and limited learning facilities.
Garba urged state governments to shift their focus from accessing education funds to demonstrating what the money delivers in schools.
“The real measure of success is not the amount of money accessed or spent, but the impact such investments make on the lives and learning of Nigerian children,” she said.
She also called for increased involvement of the private sector, development partners and civil society organisations in financing basic education, noting that the scale of the challenges required broader partnerships.
At the meeting, UBEC unveiled the Basic Education Action Plan Management System (BEAP-MS), a digital platform designed to replace the manual process of preparing and submitting state action plans.
Garba also announced the review of UBEC’s 10-year Strategic Roadmap, which will now cover 2026 to 2035, saying the revised framework would reflect emerging challenges and strengthen the implementation and impact of basic education investments.
She further urged states to prepare for the HOPE-EDU Operation, which she said would strengthen the systems, institutions and human capacity required to deliver sustainable improvements in the sector.
