The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has opened a strategic retreat for its senior staff, aimed at repositioning the agency for more effective and sustainable delivery of basic education across the country.

The programme forms part of UBEC’s efforts to strengthen its institutional capacity and align its operations with national education priorities.

Declaring the event open, participants commended the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, for convening the retreat. They described her initiative as “visionary leadership” that reflects “an unwavering commitment to institutional reforms and service delivery.” According to them, her approach demonstrates “a deep understanding of the urgent needs of the country’s basic education sector.”

With the theme, “Repositioning UBEC for Sustainable Basic Education Delivery in Nigeria,” the retreat is designed to assess the commission’s progress, address systemic challenges, and set out fresh strategies for achieving improved learning outcomes for Nigerian children.

Stakeholders noted that despite progress, the sector still faces daunting challenges. These include the growing number of out-of-school children, inadequate infrastructure, shortage of qualified teachers, low levels of learning achievement, and weak planning and implementation at sub-national levels.

The retreat also comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusive and qualitative development for all Nigerians. In line with this agenda, the Ministry of Education recently launched the National Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) to foster a more coordinated, accountable, and results-driven education system.

UBEC has pledged to fully align with NESRI, particularly its 13 ministerial deliverables directly linked to the basic education programme.

In her remarks, Executive Secretary Aisha Garba stressed the importance of shared responsibility.

“The success of UBEC’s reform agenda depends on collective responsibility, teamwork, and sustained commitment to results,” she said.

She further expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government for hosting the engagement.

“We are grateful to the Lagos State Government for hosting this retreat,” she said. “I urge all participants to take advantage of this opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the future of basic education in Nigeria.”

The retreat is expected to chart a new course for UBEC, strengthening its role in delivering equitable, quality, and sustainable education to millions of Nigerian children.