The Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to overhauling public education, particularly for less privileged children across the state.
During a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hajiya Aisha Garba, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Governor Mutfwang emphasized the urgent need to strengthen basic education through improved infrastructure, qualified personnel, and adequate learning materials.
“Basic education is the foundation of our society. If we fail to get it right, everything else built on it will crumble,” he said. “While some may afford private schools, the majority of Nigerian children rely solely on public schools. We owe it to them to provide a system that works.”
The Governor highlighted steps his administration is taking to reduce the number of out-of-school children, including targeted interventions aimed at increasing school enrollment and retention through the creation of safer, more conducive learning environments.
He also pointed to efforts in addressing systemic challenges such as the shortage of trained teachers, infrastructure gaps, and lack of instructional materials. Additionally, the government is incorporating child nutrition initiatives to support cognitive development and overall learning outcomes.
“The next governor of Plateau State could emerge from a public school. That is why we must give the sector the priority it deserves,” he stated.
Governor Mutfwang praised UBEC as a critical national partner in advancing educational equity and expressed readiness to deepen collaboration for the benefit of children in Plateau State and beyond.
In response, UBEC Executive Secretary Hajiya Aisha Garba expressed appreciation for the Governor’s visit and lauded his vision and proactive leadership in tackling educational challenges. She described him as a dependable partner and commended the Plateau State government for the timely release of counterpart funding, which has helped improve school infrastructure and learning conditions.
She called on other State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) to align closely with UBEC’s mission to transform public education nationwide.