UBEC Says HOPE-EDU Can Tackle Out-of-School Crisis and Overcrowded Classrooms

The Universal Basic Education Commission has said the Federal Government’s HOPE-EDU programme can address major pressures in Nigeria’s basic education system, including more than 10 million out-of-school children and overcrowded classrooms.

UBEC Executive Secretary Dr Aisha Garba spoke in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during a three-day sensitisation workshop for education stakeholders from the South-South and South-East. She was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Mr Rasaq Akinyemi.

Garba said the new programme could only succeed if implementation is transparent, accountable and collaborative across federal, state and local actors. She said the scale of current challenges requires disciplined execution, regular monitoring and clear performance checks at every stage.

According to her, Nigeria still faces deep access and quality gaps that affect equity in learning outcomes. She said HOPE-EDU is designed to improve foundational learning, literacy and numeracy, while widening access to quality education, especially in rural communities where resources are often limited.

Garba said the intervention is built around measurable delivery, with funding tied to results rather than routine spending. She described the programme as aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and focused on practical targets in schools and classrooms.

She listed key targets to include improved learning outcomes for more than 29 million children, support for about 500,000 teachers, construction of 13,000 new classrooms, and the return of over 1.5 million out-of-school children to learning nationwide.

She also urged implementing agencies to place priority attention on children most at risk of exclusion, including girls, orphans and children in conflict-affected areas. Garba said their education should be treated as a national development obligation, not as a charitable gesture.

National Coordinator of the programme, Dr Layi Olatawura, called on state governors to back implementation in their states and provide the institutional support needed for continuity. He also acknowledged improved education allocation in the 2026 budget as a positive signal for reform.

The Federal Government recently unveiled the $552 million HOPE for Quality Basic Education for All initiative to accelerate reform in the sector. The programme is expected to run through a results-based framework under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, with participating states required to meet agreed benchmarks on delivery, reporting and accountability.