Ministry Dismisses Smear Campaign Against UBEC Head

The Federal Ministry of Education has strongly condemned what it describes as a sponsored smear campaign targeting the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba.

In an official statement issued on Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, raised alarm over what he called “baseless and malicious allegations” being circulated by a group operating under the name “Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC).” The group had accused Garba of administrative misconduct and disregard for the rule of law.

Dr. Alausa dismissed the claims as completely untrue, misleading, and orchestrated by individuals resisting ongoing reforms in the basic education sector. He warned that in an age of widespread misinformation, such falsehoods could harm public trust if left unchallenged.

Describing Aisha Garba as an internationally recognized education expert with over 24 years of experience—including 15 years at the World Bank—the Minister stated that her leadership at UBEC has brought integrity, transparency, and global best practices to the agency. He said her efforts are aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and are repositioning UBEC as a high-impact, reform-focused institution.

Highlighting her achievements, the Ministry noted that UBEC has constructed 4,951 new classrooms, renovated 3,070, and established numerous Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) centres nationwide. Over 353,000 units of furniture and more than 5 million textbooks have also been distributed under her watch.

To enhance teacher quality, over 147,600 educators have been trained in inclusive and modern teaching methods. In addition, UBEC launched Nigeria’s largest-ever Teacher Professional Development initiative, reaching nearly 978,800 teachers. A curriculum overhaul, in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), is also underway to embed digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking in classrooms.

Garba is credited with reforming the Basic Education Action Plan (BEAP) and the Matching Grant Formula to improve accountability. As a result, 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory accessed ₦78.6 billion out of the ₦120 billion allocated for 2024. Her administration has also strengthened partnerships with international organizations including the World Bank, UNICEF, KOICA, the Islamic Development Bank, and the FCDO.

Furthermore, over 15,000 community-led projects have been executed through the School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme (SBMC–SIP), while strong governance frameworks and fiduciary controls have been instituted at UBEC with no recorded infractions.

The Ministry described the smear campaign as the handiwork of “subversive forces threatened by her bold, transparent leadership,” and called on the public to disregard all fabrications in circulation.

Reaffirming its confidence in Garba’s leadership, the Ministry stated its full support for her continued efforts to deliver safe, inclusive, and high-quality basic education across Nigeria.