The Federal Ministry of Education has strongly condemned recent media reports containing what it described as “baseless, sponsored, and libellous” allegations against the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hajia Aisha Garba.

The allegations, circulated by an unidentified group claiming to be the “Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC),” accused the UBEC boss of administrative misconduct, abuse of office, and breach of procedure. However, the Ministry has dismissed the claims as unfounded and part of a coordinated smear campaign intended to disrupt the ongoing reforms in the basic education sector.

In an official statement issued by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Ministry reiterated its full support for Hajia Garba, describing the accusations as “completely untrue” and driven by elements opposed to the progress being made under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Ordinarily, the Ministry would not dignify such falsehoods with a response. However, allowing these fabrications to fester unchallenged could mislead the public and undermine the progress being made. 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, GCFR.

“Since her appointment, 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. In partnership with the NERDC, UBEC initiated a curriculum reform to embed digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking in the basic education system.

“On financing, Dr. Garba led reforms to the Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP) and Matching Grant formula, introducing results-based planning, flexible funding for state-specific needs, and dedicated budget lines for EMIS, teacher training, digital tools, and teaching materials. These innovations, combined with high-level advocacy, have led to ₦78.6 billion out of the ₦120 billion UBE intervention fund for 2024 being accessed by 28 states and the FCT.

UBEC, under her leadership, has also deepened collaborations with critical stakeholders including the Federal Ministry of Education, State Ministries of Education, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and international development partners such as the World Bank (HOPE-Edu and BESDA-AF), UNICEF, KOICA, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), all working together to improve access, quality, and equity in Nigeria’s basic education system.

Furthermore, the School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP) has supported over 15,000 local projects, promoting grassroots participation and accountability in education delivery.

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.

We urge 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.