Meet Nov 15 Deadline Or Risk HOPE-EDU Funds, UBEC Warn States

The Universal Basic Education Commission has warned states participating in the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equality in Education programme to meet the November 15, 2026, readiness deadline or risk losing access to the first round of programme disbursements.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Ahmad Garba, issued the warning on Tuesday in Kano at the opening of the Result Area 1 Thematic Regional Workshop on the Structured Pedagogy Package for State Universal Basic Education Board directors and support officers from the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones.

Garba, who was represented by the Director, North-East, Alhaji Abdullahi Jarma, described the deadline as “not negotiable,” stressing that it was a gateway to accessing the first round of funding under the programme.

She said the workshop was designed to equip states with the tools and strategies required to improve teaching and learning, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

“By November 15, 2026, your states must demonstrate readiness. This is not negotiable. It is the gateway to unlocking the first round of programme disbursements and, more importantly, the future of our children,” she said.

Garba said the Structured Pedagogy Package would strengthen teacher training, teaching and learning materials and learning assessments, adding that an evidence-based approach was necessary to achieve measurable improvements in learning outcomes.

She urged participants to collaborate and develop actionable roadmaps that would ensure effective implementation of the programme at state and school levels.

Earlier, the HOPE-EDU Programme Manager, Olumayowa Aleshin, said the workshop was aimed at strengthening the capacity of state ministries of education and SUBEBs to implement Result Area 1 of the programme.

Aleshin said participants would be exposed to the requirements for the Structured Pedagogy Package as well as the Book Supply Chain and Track-and-Trace system.

He added that the exercise would improve states’ readiness to meet the requirements for the first prerequisite evidence submission and strengthen accountability in the procurement, distribution and tracking of teaching and learning materials.

The HOPE-EDU programme is a federal government initiative supported by the World Bank to strengthen foundational learning through improved systems, institutional capacity and technical support.