The Federal Ministry of Education has denounced what it called a “sponsored smear campaign” targeting the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Aisha Garba, describing the allegations against her as baseless and malicious.
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, dismissed media reports circulated by an anonymous group operating under the name Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC). The group had accused Garba of misconduct and disregard for due process.
Dr. Alausa labeled the accusations as “libellous fabrications by disgruntled elements determined to derail the ongoing transformation of Nigeria’s basic education system.”
“Dr. Aisha Garba is a globally respected education expert with over two decades of experience, including 15 years at the World Bank. Under her leadership, UBEC has made significant strides in transparency, innovation, and service delivery,” the Minister stated.
According to the Ministry, Garba’s tenure has ushered in widespread reforms in access, quality, and equity across Nigeria’s basic education system. Key highlights include:
Construction of nearly 5,000 classrooms and renovation of over 3,000 across the country.
Establishment of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centres nationwide.
Distribution of over five million textbooks and more than 350,000 units of school furniture.
Training of over 147,000 teachers in modern pedagogical practices and nearly 978,800 educators benefiting from Nigeria’s largest-ever Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme.
Launch of a curriculum overhaul embedding digital literacy and entrepreneurship, in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).
Additionally, the Ministry noted significant improvements in fund utilisation, with ₦78.6 billion accessed by 28 states and the FCT under the Basic Education Action Plan and Matching Grant Scheme in 2024 alone.
The Ministry firmly stated that no financial infractions have been recorded under Garba’s leadership, reinforcing its confidence in her capacity to lead UBEC.
> “We urge Nigerians to ignore these orchestrated falsehoods. Dr. Garba’s work has not only strengthened institutional frameworks but has attracted robust partnerships with global agencies such as UNICEF, the World Bank, KOICA, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the UK’s FCDO,” said Dr. Alausa.
Over 15,000 community-led projects have been successfully implemented under the School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP), further demonstrating UBEC’s commitment to inclusive and grassroots-driven development.
Dr. Alausa concluded by reaffirming the Ministry’s unwavering support for Garba, praising her for “steering UBEC with integrity, professionalism, and a results-driven approach.”
