We Will Tackle Challenge Of Out-of-school Children – UBEC boss

The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission Aisha Garba, on Friday, 22 August, 2025 vowed to accelerate efforts in tackling the challenge of out-of-school children in the country.
Garba, who made the vow in Abuja at the official handover of Luminah 2030 to the Commission by the officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, disclosed that the Commission would align its operations with State Universal Basic Education Boards frameworks to guarantee the programme’s ownership and delivery at scale.
The programme, launched under the Federal Ministry of Education in March 2025, Luminah is a flagship designed to empower one million underserved Nigerian girls with access to education, vocational training and community support by year 2030.
The programe is being implemented across 12 pilot states across the six geopolitical zones, including Yobe, Taraba, Kano, Jigawa, Benue, Federal Capital Territory, Ebonyi, Anambra, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Oyo, with plans for national scale-up by 2030.
Garba, who was represented at the programme by the Commission’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Technical, Razak Akinyemi, explained that, “incorporating Luminah 2030 would strengthen the Commission’s ongoing efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children and improve learning outcomes, especially for girls in rural and low-income communities.”
The initiative, she said, aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive and equitable quality education.
UBEC boss also assured stakeholders that UBEC would prioritise transparency and accountability in the disbursement of funds and deployment of resources under the Luminah 2030 programme.
“The collaboration with SUBEBs is crucial for ensuring sustainability and ensuring that the gains of the programme extend beyond its initial life span. Most importantly, this journey will remain collaborative—every partner, every stakeholder, and every state that has contributed to shaping Luminah will continue to have a voice and a role as we advance together,
“With this migration, UBEC takes full responsibility for sustaining and strengthening the initiative. Although, the implementation is now housed within UBEC, it must be emphasised that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Luminah Committees remain central to this journey. Their continued policy oversight, technical guidance, and strategic direction will be critical in ensuring that Luminah 2030 stays aligned with the national vision for education and Sustainable Development Goal 4.
“UBEC will continue to walk hand in hand with the Ministry, the Committees, and all stakeholders, building on past successes and confronting the challenges ahead with unity of purpose,” she said.