The Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), has unveiled a $552.18 million HOPE-EDU programme.

The programme is aimed at transforming Nigeria’s basic education landscape and improving learning outcomes nationwide.

The initiative, supported by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), is expected to benefit more than 29 million children.

It will also strengthen the capacity of 500,000 teachers, deliver 13,000 new classrooms and reintegrate out-of-school children into the formal school system.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, unveiled the initiative on Wednesday at a three-day sensitisation workshop for commissioners for education, SUBEB chairmen and frontline implementers of the HOPE-EDU and HOPE-Governance programmes in Lagos.

Garba described the programme as a historic opportunity to address persistent challenges in Nigeria’s basic education system.

She said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and prioritises foundational learning, teacher development, provision of quality instructional materials and expanded access for vulnerable learners.

“These are not abstract goals; they are actionable interventions.

“The Federal Ministry of Education and UBEC will provide resources and technical support, but the real work happens at the state and community levels.

“You will lead the needs assessments, community engagement, and implementation,” she said.

She urged state governments to ensure transparency, accountability and effective monitoring in the implementation of the programme.

According to her, UBEC will deploy digital dashboards to track spending, implementation progress and delivery of milestones to ensure accountability.

Garba reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to equitable learning opportunities, particularly for children with special needs, girls, children from poor households and those in conflict-affected communities.

“Above all, let us work with all children, especially the most marginalised—the special-needs child, the girl-child, the vulnerable, and children in conflict zones.

“Their education is not charity; it is the cornerstone of our democracy and economy,” she said.

Garba encouraged stakeholders to engage constructively, share experiences and develop actionable plans that would drive measurable improvements in foundational learning across the country.

“Education for all is the responsibility of all. Let this meeting be the catalyst for unprecedented progress,” she said

The sensitisation workshop is designed to align states with the HOPE-EDU implementation framework as contained in the Programme Appraisal Document (PAD) and the Programme Operational Manual (POM).

The nationwide sensitisation is being conducted in phases—beginning with the South-south and South-east in Uyo.

It will be followed by the South-west and North-central in Lagos, and scheduled to conclude with the North-west and North-east sessions in Kano.