FG BOOSTS BASIC EDUCATION ACCESS WITH MASSIVE DISTRIBUTION OF LEARNING MATERIALS
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The Federal Government has intensified efforts to improve access to quality basic education across Nigeria through the distribution of instructional materials and ongoing investment in school infrastructure.
The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, made this known on Thursday during the flag-off of instructional materials distribution to public basic schools in the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, organised in collaboration with the FCT Universal Basic Education Board.
She said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to inclusive and quality education, regardless of background. According to her, the intervention goes beyond supplying materials, but also includes building classrooms, training teachers, and reducing the number of out-of-school children nationwide.
Garba revealed that thousands of classrooms have been constructed recently while hundreds of teachers have undergone capacity training. She also noted that millions of textbooks and learning materials have been distributed across the country as part of ongoing education reforms.
She added that significant progress has been made in bringing children back to school, describing the effort as a major milestone in expanding access to basic education. In the FCT alone, schools received textbooks, writing materials, digital tools, smart boards, computers, and other learning aids aimed at improving classroom learning outcomes.
According to her, these materials are designed to strengthen literacy and numeracy skills while improving teaching quality across public schools. She also linked the initiative to the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises education as a key driver of national development.
Speaking at the event, the FCT Education Secretariat, represented by Mandate Secretary Danlami Hayyo, said the administration has invested heavily in school renovation projects, with many already completed across area councils and others still ongoing. He also highlighted the importance of timely counterpart funding in strengthening education programmes.
The Acting Executive Chairman of FCT-UBEB, Florence Wenegieme, described the distribution exercise as an important step toward strengthening foundational education and improving learning conditions for pupils and teachers across the territory.
Despite ongoing interventions, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, learning resources, and out-of-school children remain, prompting continued efforts by government and partners to expand access and improve quality in basic education.