UBEC Introduces Annual Grants For Public Primary Schools

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has introduced an annual school grant initiative to enable public primary schools to carry out urgent infrastructure repairs, improve learning environments and respond more quickly to their immediate needs.

The initiative is designed to decentralise financial management by giving schools greater responsibility for deciding how to address pressing challenges, including minor renovations and environmental improvements.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, disclosed this in Kano during a five-day regional thematic workshop on the HOPE-EDU Programme.

Represented by the Deputy Director of Social Mobilisation, Sahabo Basa, Garba said the initiative falls under Disbursement-Linked Indicator (DLI) 7 of the programme and is expected to empower school management to create safer and more conducive learning environments.

She said Results Area 3 of the HOPE-EDU Programme focuses on ensuring that education funds reach schools promptly, are managed transparently and translate into improved conditions for teaching and learning.

According to her, Disbursement-Linked Indicator 6 focuses on strengthening decentralised financial management, while DLI 7 covers annual school grants and the regulations governing their use.

The two indicators are intended to strengthen the management and delivery of education resources by ensuring that financial decisions are made closer to the schools where the funds are needed.

Garba, however, identified timely release of funds, counterpart funding, clear implementation guidelines and the capacity of officials responsible for managing resources as potential challenges to the initiative.

She urged participants at the workshop to develop practical solutions to these challenges and prepare state-specific action plans to guide implementation.

“The success of this programme will be measured in your states, in your LGEAs and in your schools,” she said.

Garba assured State Universal Basic Education Boards of UBEC’s technical support and coordination to facilitate the implementation of the programme.

Earlier, the HOPE-EDU Programme Manager, Mr Mayowa Aleshin, said the workshop was organised to prepare state officials for the implementation of Results Area 3 and strengthen their capacity to deliver on Disbursement-Linked Indicators 6 and 7.

Aleshin said the programme became effective on February 27, 2026, adding that its focus had shifted from planning to implementation.

He said the workshop brought together officials from North-East and North-West states to clarify their responsibilities and strengthen their readiness to implement the two indicators.

According to him, the sessions were designed to align the roles of officials responsible for finance and accounts, procurement, social mobilisation, and environmental and social safeguards.

The workshop is expected to help participating states develop practical approaches to implementing the programme, particularly in ensuring that education funds are properly managed and that school-level needs receive timely attention.