UBEC disburses N5bn to 518 communities, launches learner retention programme
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has disbursed over N5 billion to 518 communities nationwide under the school-based management committee–school improvement programme (SBMC-SIP), as part of efforts to strengthen basic education delivery and address the challenge of out-of-school children.
Speaking at the national flag-off of the 2025 SBMC-SIP implementation in Abuja on Thursday, Aisha Garba, executive secretary of UBEC, said the intervention underscores the federal government’s renewed commitment to improving school infrastructure, strengthening community participation, and ensuring that children not only enrol in school but remain until completion.
Garba disclosed that N5.18 billion earmarked for the 2025 programme will support 518 communities nationwide, with each state and the Federal Capital Territory benefiting from 14 schools.
Represented by Rasaq Akinyemi, she said the intervention will prioritise underserved areas, focusing on the rehabilitation of dilapidated school structures, provision of classroom furniture, and improvement of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.
“This represents a renewed national commitment to strengthening community participation in school governance, improving learning environments across the federation, and ensuring that every Nigerian child not only enrols in school but remains to successfully complete basic education,” she said.
Garba noted that the event marked four key milestones, including a review of implementation progress under the 2023 and 2024 SBMC-SIP cycles, disbursement of final tranche funds for the previous cycle, the national flag-off of the 2025 programme, and the official launch of the Learner Retention Programme.
She said the SBMC-SIP has continued to demonstrate impact as a community-driven initiative, with over 1,112 schools supported nationwide and more than N1.5 billion disbursed in earlier cycles.
According to her, a total of 13,670 projects have been initiated across the country, many of which are expected to attract over 400,000 children back to school.
“As we complete one cycle and begin another, we must ensure that implementation is guided by transparency, accountability, and timeliness,” she said, adding that UBEC will continue to collaborate with State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and local stakeholders to ensure effective delivery.
Garba also announced the disbursement of N434.5 million as the final tranche of the 2023 and 2024 SBMC-SIP funds, aimed at supporting the completion of 11,484 ongoing projects nationwide.
Beyond infrastructure, the commission used the occasion to launch the Learner Retention Support Programme, targeting one million pupils across eight states in its first phase, with a budget of N5 billion.
She explained that the initiative is designed to address socio-economic barriers that hinder school attendance, reduce dropout rates, and encourage sustained participation in education.
“Access to education is important, but retention is what ensures that its promise is fulfilled. We must address the realities that force children out of school,” she added.
In his remarks, Tunji Alausa, minister of education, described the initiatives as critical components of the federal government’s strategy to strengthen basic education and achieve inclusive learning outcomes.
Represented by Folake Olatunji-David, Alausa said the programmes align with national education policies, including the Universal Basic Education Act and the National Policy on Education, as well as global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).
He noted that the SBMC-SIP promotes decentralisation and community ownership of school development, while the learner retention programme directly targets the reduction of out-of-school children, particularly in high-burden states.
“These initiatives reaffirm government’s commitment to ensuring that every school-age child is enrolled, retained, and able to complete basic education,” he said.
The minister also urged stakeholders, including SUBEBs, local authorities, and community leaders, to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of funds, stressing that the success of the interventions depends on effective implementation and monitoring at the grassroots level.
Stakeholders at the event reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration, improving school environments, and ensuring that education reforms translate into measurable outcomes for Nigerian children.
