IDLE UBEC FUND AND MATTERS ARISING

The recent revelation that over N267 billion in basic education intervention funds remain unspent as of August 2026 should be a cause for concern across all stakeholders in the country, particularly as millions of children are still out of school. Speaking to the issue, UBEC Executive Secretary Dr Aisha Garba emphasized the urgent need for a change in the way some states plan, budget, and spend the money allocated to basic education.

The governors and other stakeholders must realize that the billions of Naira remaining in UBEC are not merely unspent funds; they signify a nation that does not prioritize the future of its children. For nearly two decades, the commission has reported unaccessed funds earmarked for universal basic education (UBE), including N50 billion in 2010, N80.9 billion in 2015, and N263 billion as of December 2024.

Currently, about nine states are yet to fully draw down the intervention funds due to their inability to provide the required counterpart funding, partly due to a structural defect in the framework that subordinates local governments to state executives. The UBEC, established in 1999, administers funds to all 36 states to standardize primary education.

States are required to match the federal government's grant strictly for primary education expenditure. Despite the growing number of out-of-school children and poor conditions in many schools, some governors are denying their states access to this federal intervention fund due to the requirement for counterpart funding, a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.

This not only harms the education of the nation's children but also deprives Nigerians of thousands of employment opportunities that could be generated if the funds were invested in productive activities. The lesson is clear: if the foundation is faulty, whatever is built on it will be permanently defective.