The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has identified Delta State’s technology-driven teacher attendance system as a model that could help strengthen accountability and improve learning outcomes across Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, said the Attend360 platform demonstrates how technology can address one of the most critical requirements for effective education by ensuring that teachers are present and actively engaged in the classroom.
“There is no education or quality learning without a good teacher or without a teacher in the classroom. You can build as many schools as you want, but as long as there is no teacher, and a good teacher, in the classroom, learning will not take place,” she said.
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Garba stated this during a courtesy visit to the Delta State Government, represented by Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme, as part of activities marking the 30th Quarterly Meeting of UBEC Management with Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in Asaba, Delta State.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Education, Ikharo Attah, Garba said Delta was selected to host the meeting because of the progress recorded in its education sector, particularly in the use of technology to improve school management, teacher attendance and accountability.
The meeting, themed “Repositioning Basic Education in Nigeria to Optimise Investment and Impact,” brought together UBEC management and SUBEB chairmen from across the country to examine how investment, innovation and effective implementation can deliver greater impact in basic education.
Garba commended Delta State for its record in accessing Universal Basic Education matching grants, noting that the state had accessed its grants up to 2025 and was among the leading states in basic education development.
She, however, urged the state to ensure that available UBEC funds are fully utilised and approved programmes implemented promptly, stressing that investments in education must translate into improved facilities, stronger teaching and better learning outcomes.
The Executive Secretary also encouraged Delta State to position itself to benefit from the education component of the HOPE Education Programme, a World Bank-supported intervention with up to 500 million dollars earmarked for education.
Garba explained that one of the key requirements for participating states is the utilisation of the 2026 matching grant and implementation of at least 50 per cent of the 2025 Action Plan.
She urged Delta to sustain its investment in education, fully utilise available resources and take advantage of UBEC’s technical support.
Responding, Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme assured UBEC that Delta State would continue to strengthen its education system and expand access to quality education.
Onyeme clarified that updated records showed the state had about one billion naira in unutilised funds, rather than eight billion naira as earlier referenced.
He also disclosed that Delta had implemented about 90 per cent of its 2025 Action Plan and had already received its 2026 matching grant.
Describing education as one of the state’s key investment priorities, the Deputy Governor pledged continued commitment to improving educational outcomes.
“We will continue to improve and do our best to ensure that we give education to as many citizens as possible,” he said.
The discussion on strengthening basic education continued during a separate courtesy visit to traditional ruler, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge.
During the visit, Garba highlighted the importance of traditional institutions and other stakeholders in advancing Nigeria’s education agenda.
She said UBEC’s goal is to ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of location, circumstance or family background, has access to quality basic education.
“Our goal is to ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of their circumstances or where they live, whether they come from a poor family or a rich family, must have the opportunity to receive quality basic education,” The UBEC Executive Secretary stressed.
Garba also acknowledged the Asagba’s support for education initiatives in Delta State, including efforts aimed at advancing smart schools, and called for stronger collaboration among traditional institutions, government and education agencies.
In his remarks, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, described basic education as the foundation upon which Nigeria’s future is built.
He stressed the importance of quality teachers in primary schools, noting that the calibre of teachers determines the quality of citizens produced by the education system.
“If you have quality teachers, you produce quality people,” he said.
Azinge urged UBEC and SUBEB chairmen to confront the challenges facing basic education with sincerity and develop practical solutions to address them.
He emphasised that no child should be left behind, including children with disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, insisting that every Nigerian child deserves access to basic education.
Reflecting on the engagements with the Delta State Government and the Asagba of Asaba, Garba said the priority is to ensure that investments, innovations and commitments across the states translate into measurable improvements in classrooms and better learning outcomes for children.
She assured Nigerians that UBEC would continue to work with states, traditional institutions and other stakeholders by providing technical support and collaboration needed to strengthen basic education nationwide.
Garba reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child, regardless of location or circumstance, has access to quality basic education and the opportunity to build a brighter future.
