The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has recorded improvements in states’ access to financing for basic education, with 27 out of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) accessing part of the ₦121 billion in unaccessed matching grant backlogs from 2024.

UBEC’s Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, who disclosed this, said the development represents a 65 percent increase in access to finance.

She made the remarks at the 27th Quarterly Meeting of UBEC Management with Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in Lagos on Monday.

Garba reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to bridging the gap between planning and performance in Nigeria’s basic education sector, stressing the need to guarantee access to quality education for every Nigerian child.

She highlighted significant strides in reforming and repositioning the sector, noting that the progress achieved so far is only the first step towards greater impact.

Some of the reforms, according to her, include:

Revision of the UBEC matching grant formula to enhance data-driven resource allocation, equity, and accountability.

Revamping the two-decade-old Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP) template and process to promote needs-based planning and accelerate implementation.

Expansion of school infrastructure nationwide, with 4,900 classrooms constructed, 3,000 renovated, and 354,000 units of furniture supplied, directly benefiting over 2.3 million learners in 2025 alone.

Launch of Nigeria’s largest teacher development programme, with a ₦22 billion investment in teacher capacity building to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

Digitisation of quality assurance monitoring, with over 500 officers trained to use real-time electronic monitoring tools.

She emphasized that while these reforms represent notable progress, they must be consolidated through stronger accountability and performance management systems.

“Our sector is not lacking in sound policies and robust plans for basic education. The real challenge is translating these plans into tangible outcomes. Too often, we see a disconnect between planning and performance, largely due to poor coordination, weak institutional capacity, inconsistencies in financial management, and limited mechanisms to track progress and adjust programmes,” Garba said.

She explained that this reality informed the theme of the 27th Quarterly Meeting, ‘Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Performance Towards Achieving Quality Basic Education’, describing it as both timely and urgent.

“If we are to move from aspirations to impact, UBEC cannot do this work alone. Only through state-level collaboration, commitment, and consistency can we ensure that every Nigerian child not only has access to education but also receives the quality learning they deserve,” she added.

In his remarks, the Dean of SUBEB Chairmen, Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, stressed the importance of evidence-based planning, digital tools, and data-driven decision-making in strengthening basic education delivery. He urged SUBEBs and UBEC to conduct regular assessments to track learners’ progress and ensure that schools are adequately equipped with classrooms, libraries, technology, and learning materials.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from UBEC and SUBEBs to align strategies, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and work collectively to achieve quality basic education for every Nigerian child.