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. In a statement released yesterday, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the ministry’s attention had been drawn to what it termed “libellous” and unfounded reports circulated by an unverified group under the name Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC).
The group had levelled allegations of administrative misconduct and legal violations against Garba—claims the ministry flatly rejected as “baseless, misleading, and malicious.”
Dr. Alausa described the attacks as a coordinated attempt by disgruntled elements to undermine the sweeping reforms currently being implemented in the basic education sector under Garba’s watch. “Aisha Garba is an internationally recognised education expert with over two decades of experience, including 15 years at the World Bank. She has brought integrity, competence, and global best practices to UBEC,” he stated.
Since her appointment, Garba’s leadership has been credited with significant strides in the delivery of basic education across Nigeria. According to the ministry, UBEC has constructed nearly 5,000 new classrooms and renovated over 3,000 existing ones. In addition, Early Childhood Care and Development Centres have been established nationwide, expanding access to foundational education.
The impact has also been felt in learning materials and infrastructure. Over five million textbooks and more than 350,000 school furniture units have been distributed, while teacher capacity has been boosted through large-scale training programmes. More than 147,000 teachers have been trained in modern pedagogical techniques, and nearly 978,800 have benefitted from the country’s largest-ever Teacher Professional Development initiative.
Under Garba’s leadership, a major curriculum reform is underway, embedding digital literacy and entrepreneurship skills into basic education. This is being done in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), to better prepare pupils for a 21st-century knowledge economy.
In financial management, the ministry noted that Garba has ensured improved access and utilisation of the Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP) and Matching Grant Formula. As of 2024, 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory accessed ₦78.6 billion to fund essential education projects.
The ministry also highlighted robust partnerships built under her leadership with international organisations including the World Bank, UNICEF, KOICA, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Additionally, over 15,000 community-led initiatives have been executed under the School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC–SIP), bringing grassroots involvement into the centre of education delivery.
The ministry stressed that no financial infractions or violations have been recorded during Garba’s tenure and urged the public to dismiss the “orchestrated falsehoods” being circulated. “It is disheartening that some subversive forces, threatened by Aisha Garba’s bold and transparent leadership, have resorted to sponsoring a smear campaign to derail the gains of the Renewed Hope agenda,” Alausa said.
He concluded with a reaffirmation of the ministry’s full confidence in Garba’s leadership, describing her as a key figure in the country’s drive to revitalise basic education and secure a better future for the next generation.