Education Ministry Dismisses Allegations Against UBEC Executive Secretary

The Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed the allegations against the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hajia Aisha Garba.

The claims peddled by a faceless group identifying itself as the “Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC)” are entirely without merit and appear to be the handiwork of subversive elements threatened by the bold reforms ongoing in the basic education sector.

In a statement, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa categorically refutes these reports, describing them as baseless, sponsored, and completely untrue.

He reaffirmed the Ministry’s full confidence in Dr. Garba’s leadership and condemned the false narrative as an attempt to derail the positive reforms being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The accusations of administrative misconduct, abuse of office, and breach of procedure are not only false but clearly part of a calculated smear campaign targeted at discrediting the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Since her appointment, Hajia Aisha Garba, a seasoned education expert with over 24 years of global experience, including 15 years at the World Bank has demonstrated exemplary leadership and accountability in repositioning UBEC as a transformative institution.

Under her leadership, UBEC has transitioned from merely disbursing grants to driving systemic reforms focused on quality, equity, financing, and institutional strengthening. Notable achievements include the construction of 4,951 new classrooms, renovation of 3,070 classrooms, establishment of Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) centres, provision of 353,625 furniture units, and distribution of over 5 million textbooks.

UBEC has also trained more than 147,000 teachers and revised the Minimum Basic Education Standards to promote safer and more inclusive learning environments nationwide.

Additionally, the Commission launched Nigeria’s largest-ever teacher professional development programme, reaching nearly 978,800 teachers.

Also, in partnership with the NERDC, UBEC initiated a curriculum reform to embed digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking in the basic education system.

UBEC, under her leadership, has also deepened collaborations with critical stakeholders including the Federal Ministry of Education, State Ministries of Education, and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs).

In light of these undeniable strides, the Ministry reaffirms its full confidence in Aisha Garba’s leadership and commends her unwavering focus on transparency, inclusion, and excellence,while urging her and the UBEC team to remain resolute and undistracted in their mandate to deliver quality, safe, and globally competitive education for every Nigerian child.

PR/Nkiru Okeke