The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Aisha Garba, has declared that Nigeria’s education sector is facing a “crisis of great magnitude”, calling for urgent, unified action from all stakeholders to safeguard the future of millions of Nigerian children.

Dr. Garba made this known during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja and jointly convened by UBEC and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. The event brought together education policymakers from all 36 states, alongside international development partners including the World Bank, UNICEF, and the European Union.

In her keynote address, Dr. Garba highlighted two critical issues confronting Nigeria’s education landscape: the country’s staggering 20 million out-of-school children (as estimated by UNESCO), and the deepening learning crisis, wherein millions of pupils enrolled in schools are not acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills.

 “Our country is facing an education crisis of great magnitude. Millions of Nigerian children remain out of school, while many of those enrolled are not acquiring the foundational literacy and numeracy skills essential for lifelong success,” she said.

She warned that the implications of this crisis are far-reaching, threatening not only the personal development of children but also national progress.

“These gaps are not just academic, they represent lost opportunities, widened inequality, and weakened national development. The time has come to change this narrative,” she added.

As part of efforts to combat the crisis, Dr. Garba announced the launch of HOPE-EDU, a new government initiative backed by a $552 million partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria, the World Bank, and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

 “This bold, strategic, and multisectoral initiative is designed to address foundational learning gaps and reduce the number of out-of-school children through coordinated, state-led action,” Garba said.

The HOPE-EDU programme aims to restore confidence in Nigeria’s basic education system by enhancing teacher training, improving school infrastructure, and leveraging digital learning tools.

Also speaking at the meeting, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming education through President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

She emphasized that the administration’s strategic vision is already guiding reforms across key agencies and ministries.

Roundtable discussions at the forum enabled SUBEB chairpersons, state commissioners, and international donors to engage directly on persistent challenges in the education sector. Topics included curriculum reform, data-driven policymaking, and strategies for scaling successful intervention models.

Organisers expressed optimism that the dialogue would result in the establishment of a permanent support hub to offer education leaders continuous access to practical tools and real-time insights for policy implementation.

Stakeholders agreed that the meeting was more than a routine gathering,  it signified a crucial turning point in the effort to reclaim the promise of education in Nigeria.

“This is the moment to move beyond rhetoric and begin implementing real, measurable solutions,” Dr. Garba concluded.