By Abdullahi Idris, Dutse The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has lauded the Jigawa State Government for its strides...
By Abdullahi Idris, Dutse
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has lauded the Jigawa State Government for its strides in improving basic education through strategic investments, innovative reforms, and strong political will.
The commendation was given by UBEC Executive Secretary, Mrs. Aisha Garba, during an official visit by Governor Umar Namadi to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Mrs. Garba applauded Governor Namadi’s dedication to education, noting that his visit—his second in less than three months—demonstrates a deep commitment to transforming the sector. She disclosed that Jigawa State has accessed more than N21 billion in UBEC matching grants since 2004, placing it among the top-performing states.
“In 2024 alone, only ten states accessed their matching grants, and Jigawa is proudly among them. The only outstanding balance is for 2025, which stands at N6 billion,” she stated.
Garba also highlighted the recent review of UBEC’s funding framework, which now allows states greater flexibility in prioritizing renovations—a decision influenced by feedback from forward-thinking states like Jigawa.
“You can’t keep building new structures while the old ones are falling apart. Increasing the percentage allocated to renovations up to 50% is a step in the right direction,” she added.
According to the Executive Secretary, under Governor Namadi’s leadership, Jigawa State has achieved the construction of over 3,000 classrooms, 30 offices, 500 boreholes, and 1,200 toilets. The state has also distributed over 1,250 furniture items and trained more than 17,000 teachers.
“These efforts, combined with transparency and community involvement, make Jigawa a model for other states,” she said.
In his remarks, Governor Namadi noted that his administration took decisive action after an independent survey revealed alarming literacy gaps among primary school pupils.
“We were alarmed by the findings, which showed many pupils couldn’t read or write effectively. That spurred us to act swiftly, and today we are seeing real results,” he said.
The governor revealed that over 7,000 teachers have been recruited under his administration. He also emphasized community-based initiatives like Mothers’ Forums and revitalized School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), aimed at improving attendance and ensuring accountability in the school system.
“These mothers ensure children leave for school on time and return only after the school day ends. Their role has been transformative,” he stated.
Governor Namadi also highlighted the state’s partnership with NewGlobe through the Jigawa UNITES programme, which employs data-driven teaching models to improve literacy and numeracy.
“We’ve assigned them half of our schools while we manage the other half, allowing us to objectively track and compare performance,” he explained.
Mrs. Garba praised the partnership as a bold and commendable step.
“NewGlobe is a high-value private sector partner. Not every state can afford such collaboration. Jigawa’s leadership and financial commitment set a benchmark for others,” she said.
Governor Namadi concluded by thanking UBEC for its continued support, stressing the importance of close collaboration for effective monitoring and evaluation.
“It’s important that we share our progress with UBEC to ensure coordinated oversight. Ultimately, our success reflects positively on the Commission,” he added.
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