Commission Reviews Public-Private Partnership Framework

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening partnership and collaboration with public agencies and private entities.

This is aimed at achieving its mandate of ensuring that all Nigerian children of school age have access to quality basic education, irrespective of their socio-economic background.

The executive secretary of the commission, Aisha Garba, has accordingly ordered a comprehensive review of the Public-Private Engagement and Partnerships (PPEP) in alignment with the ongoing reforms in the agency.

In order to actualise the directive, experts and top officials of UBEC and other stakeholders are brainstorming at a three-day meeting on the Review of Public-Private Engagement and Partnerships (PPEP) in Lagos.

An official of the Commission, Mr. David Apeh who confirmed the development to newsmen yesterday, said recognising the pivotal role of strategic partnerships in driving educational reform, UBEC is proposing the development of a robust and inclusive Framework for Public-Private Engagement and Partnerships (PPEP).

According to him, the initiative aims to institutionalize collaboration and provide clear, actionable guidelines for engaging relevant government agencies and a diverse range of stakeholders, including corporate organizations, development partners, civil society groups, and philanthropic foundations.

He highlighted the key objectives of the meeting to include exploring the experiences of experts in e-Public Private Partnerships to enrich the UBEC–PPEP Draft Framework and collaboratively develop and refine the UBEC–Public Private Engagement and Partnerships Framework.

He added that the meeting was also to identify priority areas, partnership models, and implementation strategies and ensure alignment with national education policies.

The UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, had pledged to enhance basic education delivery in Nigeria, emphasizing education as a universal right and lamented the country’s high number of out-of-school children, currently estimated at 17 million.

Garba highlighted challenges such as low learning outcomes, poor completion rates, and limited access to higher education, citing alarming statistics.

She outlined her vision to address these issues by increasing access, improving quality, and creating safe, conducive learning environments.

Key strategies include leveraging partnerships, deploying targeted interventions, integrating technology, upgrading school infrastructure, and focusing on inclusivity, particularly for children with special needs and the girl-child.

The ES called for collaboration with stakeholders, including state governments, development partners, and community leaders, to expand education access, reduce out-of-school numbers, and optimize UBEC Matching Grants, promising that her leadership will prioritize tailored, region-specific solutions and a multi-sectoral approach to drive meaningful reforms in basic education.