The Federal Government has inaugurated the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee to accelerate the completion and operation of smart schools, bilingual schools, and alternative schools across the country.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Minister of Education said the committee’s success would be measured not by the number of meetings held or reports produced, but by the number of schools that become fully operational and deliver quality education to Nigerian children.
The minister said the era of projects being declared completed on paper while remaining inaccessible to intended beneficiaries must come to an end, stressing that the administration is committed to ensuring that all education projects are completed, utilized, and contribute meaningfully to expanding access to quality basic education.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission, Aisha Garba, described the projects as among the Federal Government’s most significant investments in the basic education sector.
She disclosed that 37 smart schools have been established nationwide, with 24 already operational, while the remaining schools are at various stages of completion, furnishing, and preparation for academic activities.
Garba also revealed that 30 schools have been established across nine participating states under the UBEC–Islamic Development Bank Bilingual Education Programme.
According to her, three bilingual boarding schools have been completed and commissioned, while four others have reached substantial completion and are being prepared for commissioning.
She said the newly inaugurated committee would strengthen project implementation oversight, improve coordination among stakeholders, and fast-track the completion and operationalization of smart schools, bilingual schools, and alternative schools across the country.
The UBEC Executive Secretary assured the committee of the Commission’s full support and urged members to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism, objectivity and dedication to ensuring that every school becomes a functional center of excellence.
Chairman of the UBEC Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee, Rashid Aderinoye, pledged that the committee would discharge its mandate with integrity, professionalism, and a strong sense of purpose.
He said the committee’s assignment extends beyond monitoring infrastructure projects to ensuring that completed schools become fully operational, sustainable, and capable of delivering quality education.
Aderinoye added that accountability is not about criticism but responsible stewardship, stressing that the committee is committed to ensuring that every investment in basic education translates into improved learning opportunities for Nigerian children.
