By Fatima Saka
The Federal Ministry of Education has strongly condemned what it described as a “sponsored smear campaign” aimed at discrediting the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, amid sweeping reforms in Nigeria’s basic education sector.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa, denounced the “libellous” media reports attributed to a shadowy group known as the Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC), which accused Garba of administrative misconduct and legal violations.
“These allegations are entirely baseless, misleading, and malicious. They are the handiwork of disgruntled elements threatened by the reforms currently reshaping basic education,” Alausa stated.
He described the attack as a calculated attempt to derail the progress made under Garba’s leadership, calling attention to her extensive global experience, including 15 years at the World Bank.
“Aisha Garba is a respected international education expert with over two decades of experience. Her tenure has brought integrity, innovation, and global best practices to UBEC,” the Minister emphasized.
Under Garba’s stewardship, UBEC has recorded significant achievements:
Construction of nearly 5,000 new classrooms and renovation of over 3,000 existing ones.
Establishment of nationwide Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centres.
Distribution of over five million textbooks and 350,000 units of school furniture.
Training of more than 147,000 teachers in modern pedagogical methods.
Launch of Nigeria’s largest-ever Teacher Professional Development initiative, benefiting over 978,800 educators.
Implementation of a major curriculum overhaul to embed digital literacy and entrepreneurship skills.
The Ministry also highlighted improved fund utilization, with ₦78.6 billion accessed by 28 states and the FCT through the Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP) and Matching Grant Formula in 2024 alone.
Institutional partnerships have also flourished under Garba, including strategic collaborations with the World Bank, UNICEF, KOICA, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the UK’s FCDO.
More than 15,000 grassroots projects have been delivered through the School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC–SIP).
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Reaffirming its confidence in Garba’s leadership, the Ministry stated: “There have been no financial infractions or legal breaches recorded. We urge the public to disregard these orchestrated falsehoods.”
Dr. Alausa added, “We stand solidly with Aisha Garba as she continues her transformative mission to ensure inclusive, quality, and equitable basic education for every Nigerian child.”
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