The Federal Government has disbursed ₦2.035 billion to 1,147 School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
This development coincides with the official launch of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) School-Based Management Committee – School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP) and the commencement of the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) activities.
These initiatives aim to revitalise the basic education sector in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made this known on Monday in Abuja during the national flag-off of the SBMC-SIP, unveiling of implementation guidelines, and the launch of teacher development programmes.
Dr Alausa outlined six pillars guiding the education sector renewal initiative: increasing enrolment, reducing the number of out-of-school children, enhancing technical and vocational education, advancing girl-child education, and strengthening quality assurance.
To realise these goals, the Ministry plans to construct 7,200 new UBE facilities, provide 1,680,000 units of furniture, renovate 195,000 classrooms, install 22,900 water boreholes, build 28,000 toilets, and provide perimeter fencing for 14,000 schools.
The Minister urged state and local governments to not only leverage federal support but also inject indigenous funding into the SBMC-SIP programme to amplify its impact.
He stated:
“While the Federal Ministry of Education continues to mobilise resources to actualise these goals, it also recognises the importance of improved partnerships and collaboration with all stakeholders across all aspects of educational service delivery.”
In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, noted that despite a 7% increase in enrolment between 2016 and 2021, approximately 17 million children—mainly from rural and low-income communities—remain out of school.
She stressed the urgent need for targeted investments to address disparities in educational access and quality.
“Our basic education sector has made some progress, but significant gaps remain. While enrolment rose by 7% between 2016 and 2021, access to quality education has not reached everyone. Around 17 million children are still out of school, particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. Moreover, only 9% of children aged 7–14 in rural areas possess age-appropriate reading skills,” she said.
“These statistics are a call to action, not just numbers. There is a pressing need for investment in infrastructure and teacher training to promote equitable access across Nigeria.”
Garba confirmed that the ₦2.035 billion disbursed will support 15,155 school improvement projects, which include classroom renovations, provision of furniture, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities, and enhanced security measures.
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