ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State’s investments in basic education, teacher development and technology-driven school management took centre stage in Asaba as education stakeholders from across Nigeria gathered for the 30th Quarterly Meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs).
The four-day meeting, themed “Repositioning Basic Education in Nigeria to Optimise Investment and Impact,” is examining how states can translate education funding and policy interventions into improved learning outcomes and wider access to quality basic education.
For Delta State, the gathering provided an opportunity to highlight its ongoing interventions in public basic schools, including classroom construction and renovation, teacher development, technology deployment and the development of SMART Schools.
Declaring the meeting open, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, said education remained a major component of his administration’s MORE Agenda.
The governor said more than 302,000 pupils were enrolled in Delta’s public basic schools, with over 187,000, representing about 62 per cent, benefiting directly from various interventions.
He said the state, working with the Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (D-SUBEB), had constructed 174 classrooms, renovated 815 and commenced construction of 24 additional classrooms.
Other interventions, according to the governor, included the construction of 39 perimeter fences and gatehouses, provision of 230 VIP toilets and installation of 12 solar-powered boreholes to improve safety, sanitation and the learning environment.
At the SMART School in Orogun, Oborevwori said hostels, refectory blocks and staff quarters had been completed as part of efforts to support technology-driven learning.
He also disclosed that he had approved the state’s 2026 UBEC counterpart fund after Delta fulfilled its 2025 obligation.
“The true measure of investment in education lies not in what we spend, but in the quality of learning we deliver, the opportunities we create, and the future we secure for our children,” the governor said.
Oborevwori commended UBEC for approving two additional Model Smart Schools for Delta, adding that the state government had provided land for the projects.
Beyond SUBEB interventions, the governor said the Ministries of Primary and Secondary Education had provided more than 200 classrooms and 15,000 furniture units, while new Government Technical Colleges equipped with modern workshops were being developed to provide young people with practical skills.
He also disclosed that more than 5,500 teachers had undergone training through programmes including Jolly Phonics, STEP, SMASE and School-Based Training.
According to him, 53 community tutors had been deployed to underserved areas, while all 16 professional development programmes planned for 2026 had been implemented.
The state government, he added, had also approved career progression for teachers from Grade Level 14 to Grade Level 17, describing teacher recruitment, welfare, motivation and professional development as key priorities.
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, acknowledged Delta’s education initiatives, particularly its use of technology to improve teacher attendance and accountability.
Garba said Delta’s technology-driven teacher attendance system could provide useful lessons for other states seeking to strengthen school management and improve learning outcomes.
She said the effectiveness of education infrastructure ultimately depended on the presence and quality of teachers in the classroom.
Garba also urged states to ensure that available education funds were properly accessed and utilised, disclosing that more than ₦65 billion in counterpart funding remained unaccessed while approximately ₦267 billion in previously released intervention funds remained unutilised.
She said states had accessed more than ₦177 billion in UBE Matching Grants but needed to move beyond accessing funds to ensuring that resources were properly planned, implemented and converted into measurable improvements in schools and learning.
The UBEC boss called for stronger partnerships with the private sector, development partners and civil society organisations, saying the scale of the challenges facing basic education required broader and more sustainable financing.
She also announced the review of UBEC’s Ten-Year Strategic Roadmap to cover 2026–2035 and the rollout of the Basic Education Action Plan Management System (BEAP-MS) to digitise state-level planning.
Garba further highlighted the HOPE-EDU programme and the Whole School Approach, as well as the National Learning Assessment conducted with the Federal Ministry of Education, as tools for strengthening evidence-based interventions.
The Chairman of D-SUBEB, Hon. Samuel Mariere, said Delta’s hosting of the meeting reflected the importance attached to basic education by the state government.
Mariere highlighted the deployment of SMART Board technology and digital monitoring systems in public basic schools, saying technology could serve both as a learning tool and an instrument for improving accountability.
The D-SUBEB chairman also commended Mrs Tobore Oborevwori, wife of the governor, for her interventions involving vulnerable children.
The Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, described education as a critical investment in Nigeria’s future and called for greater emphasis on human capital development.
The monarch identified quality teachers, technology, community ownership and accountability as four key pillars for improving basic education.
He said the Asaba traditional institution had expanded its engagement with schools through visits and the provision of learning aids and furniture.
Azinge also disclosed that the palace was constructing a SMART School which would be handed over to the Delta State Government upon completion.
He said an education system should be assessed not only by how well it serves privileged children but also by how effectively it reaches vulnerable learners.
Other stakeholders at the meeting called for stronger collaboration among UBEC, SUBEBs, development partners, traditional institutions and other actors in the education sector.
They also stressed the need for stakeholders to share successful approaches, confront persistent challenges and strengthen accountability in the use of resources allocated to basic education.
The meeting continues with technical sessions on planning, resource utilisation, digital transformation and strategies for expanding access to safe and inclusive basic education across Nigeria.
The opening session also featured cultural and musical performances.
