The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has urged state governments to make adequate budgetary provisions for a $552.18 million World Bank-supported education programme targeting 29 million Nigerian children and 500,000 teachers.
The initiative, known as the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity in Education (HOPE-EDU), also aims to support 65,000 public schools, 10,000 non-formal learning centres and the construction of 13,000 classrooms across the country.
UBEC warned that states that fail to meet the programme’s funding requirements and performance benchmarks risk losing access to the corresponding disbursements.
The commission’s Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja during a two-day meeting with chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) on preparations for the programme’s implementation.
Garba disclosed that HOPE-EDU became effective on February 27, 2026, and had entered its implementation phase. She urged state governments to incorporate the necessary activities and funding provisions into their 2027 budgets.
According to her, several deliverables scheduled for the programme’s first year depend on adequate budgetary allocations by participating states.
She directed SUBEB chairmen to present implementation plans and reports to their respective state governments, secure the necessary commitments and ensure that funding provisions were made within the required timeframe.
Garba stressed that the success of the programme would depend on the willingness of state governments to translate their commitments into practical action.
HOPE-EDU is designed to improve learning outcomes, expand access to basic education, reduce inequalities and strengthen accountability in the education sector. Under its results-based financing model, participating states must meet agreed targets and performance indicators before receiving corresponding funds.
The programme allocates $262.239 million to improving the quality of basic education, $123.9 million to expanding access and $133.611 million to strengthening key education systems.
The quality improvement component will focus on raising teaching standards, providing essential learning materials and improving pupils’ academic performance. A major intervention under this component is the Structured Pedagogy Programme, which aims to strengthen literacy and numeracy instruction in primary schools.
Garba said the initiative would build on existing Universal Basic Education interventions while complementing other government programmes in governance and primary healthcare.
She explained that eligibility requirements differ across the programme’s three components. The first, which focuses on improving education quality, is open to 33 states, with participation potentially extending to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, subject to involvement in HOPE-GOV operations.
The second component, aimed at expanding access, targets 15 states with the highest populations of out-of-school children that meet the required conditions. The third component, which focuses on strengthening education systems, is open to all 36 states and the FCT.
The UBEC executive secretary urged state officials to understand the requirements attached to each component and ensure compliance with the relevant benchmarks.
She also called for stronger coordination among state ministries of education, SUBEBs, Local Education Authorities, schools and School-Based Management Committees to support effective implementation.
Describing SUBEB chairmen as key figures in basic education delivery, Garba urged them to take ownership of the programme and ensure their states met the agreed targets and verification requirements.
She said the initiative, introduced under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, was intended to provide equitable access to quality education, particularly for children in rural communities, marginalised populations and out-of-school groups.
Garba maintained that adequate funding, political commitment and effective coordination between federal and state authorities would be critical to achieving these objectives.
Earlier, the HOPE-EDU Programme Manager, Olumayowa Aleshin, presented an overview of the initiative, outlining its funding arrangements, implementation targets and major milestones.
The programme’s success will depend on whether participating states can meet the required conditions and translate available funding into improved school infrastructure, better teaching, stronger learning outcomes and wider access to basic education for millions of Nigerian children.
