…Says allegations are baseless, politically motivated
Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, has defended the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hajia Aisha Garba, describing recent allegations against her as politically driven fabrications with no factual basis.
The response came following claims by a group known as the Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC), which accused Garba of gross administrative misconduct and financial mismanagement.
In a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Mrs Folasade Boriowo, Dr Alausa described the allegations as unfounded and the product of political elements attempting to discredit the reforms currently underway at UBEC.
He said the Ministry had initially considered ignoring the claims, but opted to address them to prevent the public from being misled and to uphold the credibility of the education reform agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Administration.
Dr Alausa affirmed that Hajia Aisha Garba enjoys the full trust and support of the Ministry due to her proven track record of integrity, efficiency, and innovation in steering Nigeria’s basic education sector towards greater accountability and results.
He dismissed the allegations as the work of an anonymous group intent on obstructing the tangible progress recorded so far, adding that there had been no formal query, indictment, or investigation to support any of the accusations published.
The Minister outlined some of the reforms introduced under Garba’s leadership, noting that she has transformed UBEC into a results-oriented institution with far-reaching impact across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. These include improved teacher training, expansion of school infrastructure, textbook distribution, and digital learning initiatives.
He pointed to the construction of thousands of new classrooms and the rehabilitation of existing school buildings, adding that over N78.6 billion from the 2024 UBEC intervention fund has already been accessed by 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to Alausa, UBEC has delivered millions of textbooks, trained hundreds of thousands of teachers, and ensured that core learning resources reach underserved communities, aligning with both global benchmarks and Nigeria’s national development goals.
He also referenced international recognition of UBEC’s performance, noting continued collaboration with development partners such as the World Bank, UNICEF, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and the Islamic Development Bank. These partners are actively supporting ongoing projects, including the nationwide basic education curriculum review.
The Minister praised Garba’s introduction of innovations such as performance-based planning and a revised Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP), which allows for flexible, state-specific funding through a new matching grant structure that prioritises demonstrable capacity and need.
He added that UBEC has significantly expanded support for early childhood education and embedded digital skills, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking in the basic education curriculum to meet future workforce demands.
The Ministry further noted progress in community-led development through the School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC–SIP), which has enabled thousands of schools to carry out infrastructure and academic improvement projects tailored to local priorities.
Reiterating the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and effective governance, Dr Alausa called on Hajia Aisha Garba and her team to remain steadfast in their work. He assured that the government would not allow politically motivated distractions to hinder the delivery of quality, inclusive, and globally competitive education to Nigerian children.
