Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has disbursed over ₦5 billion to 518 communities across Nigeria under the School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP), as part of efforts to strengthen basic education delivery and tackle the challenge of out-of-school children.
Speaking at the national flag-off of the 2025 SBMC-SIP implementation on Thursday in Abuja, UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba, said the intervention underscores the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to improving school infrastructure, deepening community participation, and ensuring that children not only enroll in school but remain through completion.
She disclosed that the ₦5.18 billion earmarked for the 2025 programme will support 518 communities nationwide, with each state and the Federal Capital Territory benefiting from 14 schools.
Represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical) Mr. Rasaq Olajuwon Akinyemi, Garba said the intervention will prioritize underserved areas, focusing on the rehabilitation of dilapidated structures, provision of classroom furniture, and improvement of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.
“This represents a renewed national commitment to strengthening community participation in school governance, improving learning environments across the Federation, and ensuring that every Nigerian child not only enrolls in school but remains in school to successfully complete basic education.
“The event brings together four significant moments in one: a review of implementation progress under the 2023 and 2024 SBMC-SIP cycles; the formal disbursement of the final tranche support funds for that cycle; the national flag-off of the 2025 School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme; and the official launch of the Learner Retention Programme.
“Collectively, these actions reflect a deliberate and integrated strategy to strengthen school governance, improve infrastructure, deepen community ownership, and systematically address the barriers that keep children out of school or push them out before completion,” the UBEC boss stated.
She noted that the SBMC-SIP has continued to demonstrate impact as a community-driven initiative, with over 1,112 schools supported across the country and more than ₦1.5 billion disbursed in previous cycles.
According to her, a total of 13,670 projects have been initiated nationwide, many of which are expected to attract over 400,000 children back to school.
“As we complete one cycle and begin another, we must ensure that implementation is guided by transparency, accountability, and timeliness,” she said, adding that UBEC will continue to work closely with State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and local stakeholders to ensure effective delivery.
Garba also announced the disbursement of ₦434.5 million as the final tranche of the 2023 and 2024 SBMC-SIP funds, which will support the completion of 11,484 ongoing projects across the country.
Beyond infrastructure, the Commission used the occasion to launch the Learner Retention Support Programme, targeting one million pupils across eight states in its first phase, with a budget of ₦5 billion.
She explained that the initiative is designed to address socio-economic barriers that hinder school attendance, reduce dropout rates, and encourage sustained participation in education.
“Access to education is important, but retention is what ensures that its promise is fulfilled. We must address the realities that force children out of school,” she said.
In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the initiatives as critical components of the Federal Government’s strategy to strengthen basic education and achieve inclusive learning outcomes.
He said the programmes align with national education policies, including the Universal Basic Education Act and the National Policy on Education, as well as global commitments such as Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Alausa who was represented by the Director, Basic Education, Dr Folake Olatunji-David, emphasized that the SBMC-SIP promotes decentralization and community ownership of school development, while the retention programme directly targets the reduction of out-of-school children, particularly in high-burden states.
“These initiatives reaffirm government’s commitment to ensuring that every school-age child is enrolled, retained, and able to complete basic education,” he said.
The minister urged stakeholders, including SUBEBs, local authorities, and community leaders, to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of funds, stressing that the success of the interventions depends on effective implementation and monitoring at the grassroots.
Stakeholders at the event reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration, improving school environments, and ensuring that education reforms translate into measurable outcomes for Nigerian children.
