Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has unveiled a new digital platform designed to improve transparency in the management of basic education projects and funds across Nigeria, with parents and communities expected to gain greater access to information about interventions in schools.
The platform, known as the Basic Education Action Plan Management System (BEAPMS), was unveiled by UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, in Abuja on Monday, September 28, 2026, during a two-day consultative workshop involving chairmen of the 36 State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and directors of the commission.
The development comes as UBEC prepares to begin implementation of its new 10-year Universal Basic Education Roadmap covering 2026 to 2035.
According to reports from the workshop, the digital system is intended to strengthen planning, monitoring, transparency and accountability in the implementation of basic education interventions.
New digital system to improve tracking
Garba said the new system would provide information on funds accessed by states and projects being implemented under UBEC interventions.
The platform is also expected to give communities a greater role in monitoring projects delivered in their schools.
This means parents and community members could have access to information that enables them to follow the progress of education projects and compare planned interventions with what is delivered on the ground.
Garba said the approach would allow communities to participate more directly in monitoring projects and hold relevant authorities accountable for funds and the quality of work being carried out.
The platform is part of UBEC’s broader effort to move away from largely manual processes in planning and accessing intervention funds.
The Guardian reported that the digital workflow will cover stages including the development, submission, review and approval of state action plans. The system is expected to improve documentation, feedback, traceability and consistency throughout the funding process.
ThisDay similarly reported that UBEC’s new digital workflow is intended to replace the manual process of accessing intervention funds with an integrated online system through which states can develop and submit action plans for review and approval.
States to identify the full needs of schools
A major element of the reform is UBEC’s adoption of what it describes as a “whole school approach” to basic education interventions.
Under the approach, states are expected to examine the broader needs of individual schools before proposing interventions rather than treating projects as isolated infrastructure activities.
For example, a school requiring additional classrooms could also be assessed for other essential facilities, including toilets, water and sanitation infrastructure, fencing, furniture and computers.
The objective is to ensure that interventions address the overall learning environment instead of delivering one facility while leaving other significant gaps unresolved.
TVC News reported that Garba said the new approach would allow states to identify their specific needs and direct UBEC funding towards those priorities.
The approach represents a shift from a project-by-project model towards more comprehensive school improvement planning.
UBEC revises approach to education funding
The digital platform is also being introduced alongside changes to how UBEC’s intervention funds are planned and accessed.
Garba said the revised framework would give states greater flexibility to identify their education priorities.
This is significant because education needs vary across Nigeria’s states and communities. While one state may require additional classrooms, another may have greater needs involving renovation, furniture, sanitation, technology or other facilities.
Under the revised approach, state education authorities are expected to use evidence about individual schools and local needs when developing their intervention plans.
The system is therefore intended not simply to digitise paperwork but to improve the way education investments are planned, documented and monitored.
UBEC’s existing guidelines already provide for digital monitoring systems and dashboards as part of supervision and monitoring activities. The commission’s published guidelines also identify electronic monitoring and information management as elements of its broader effort to improve oversight of basic education projects.
Communities given a greater monitoring role
One of the notable aspects of the new system is the proposed involvement of communities in monitoring education projects.
For many communities, information about public projects can be difficult to obtain, particularly when it concerns the amount of funding allocated, the nature of a project, its implementation status and the expected deliverables.
A system that makes such information more accessible could provide communities with a clearer basis for asking questions about projects in their schools.
UBEC has previously emphasised community participation through initiatives such as its School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme.
The commission’s programme framework assigns roles to UBEC, SUBEBs, school-based committees and other stakeholders in areas including project monitoring, implementation oversight and community participation.
The new digital system could therefore complement existing community-monitoring structures by providing information that stakeholders can use when assessing projects.
However, the effectiveness of the platform will ultimately depend on the quality, timeliness and completeness of information uploaded to it, as well as the ability of communities and education authorities to act on identified problems.
New 10-year education roadmap
The digital platform is being launched as UBEC prepares to implement a new 10-year roadmap for basic education.
The new framework will cover 2026 to 2035 and replaces the commission’s existing 2021–2030 strategic framework.
The Guardian reported that the new roadmap is intended to provide a framework for policy prioritisation, resource alignment, institutional coordination, monitoring and results-based accountability.
The roadmap is also intended to support a shift from a focus on simply expanding access to education towards improving actual learning outcomes.
This distinction is important because having children enrolled in school does not automatically guarantee that they acquire foundational literacy, numeracy and other essential skills.
UBEC has said that state plans under the new framework should be realistic, evidence-based and responsive to local needs.
Implementation expected to begin in October
UBEC is expected to begin implementation of the new 2026–2035 roadmap in October.
Punch reported that SUBEB chairmen had already been onboarded onto the digital platform ahead of its full deployment.
The consultative meeting in Abuja is intended to help state education officials understand the reforms and contribute to the development and implementation of the new framework.
Prof Shehu Adaramaja, Dean of the SUBEB Chairmen and Kwara State SUBEB chairman, said the meeting would help establish a common direction for basic education delivery over the next decade.
The involvement of the state boards is particularly important because many UBEC-supported interventions are implemented at state and local levels.
Nigeria’s wider basic education challenge
The reforms come against the background of persistent challenges facing Nigeria’s basic education sector.
The country’s education system continues to face problems involving school infrastructure, access, teacher capacity, sanitation, learning materials and foundational learning outcomes.
Earlier UBEC programmes have sought to address some of these challenges through infrastructure and community-based interventions.
In April 2026, for example, UBEC announced ₦5.18 billion for its 2025 School-Based Management Committee–School Improvement Programme, covering 518 communities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The programme focuses on areas including school renovation, furniture and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
UBEC has also been involved in wider digital monitoring efforts. The FCT Universal Basic Education Board reported in June that a digital dashboard provided by UBEC was being used to strengthen school monitoring and accountability in the Federal Capital Territory.
The new BEAPMS therefore builds on an existing direction towards greater use of digital tools in education planning and project monitoring.
Why the platform matters
The significance of the new system extends beyond the digitisation of administrative processes.
If properly implemented, a transparent digital tracking system could make it easier for education authorities to identify where funds are going, what projects have been approved, what stage projects have reached and whether interventions correspond with identified school needs.
For parents and communities, access to reliable project information could provide a stronger basis for monitoring public education investments.
For state governments and SUBEBs, the system could improve coordination with UBEC and reduce reliance on physical documentation and repeated administrative processes.
For UBEC, digital records could also make it easier to monitor implementation across a large number of schools and states.
At the same time, the platform’s impact will depend on how consistently states provide accurate information and how effectively monitoring findings are acted upon.
Digital transparency can make information easier to access, but accountability still requires responsible institutions, timely reporting and meaningful responses when problems are identified.
What happens next
UBEC is expected to proceed with the implementation of the new digital system and its 2026–2035 basic education roadmap from October.
State Universal Basic Education Boards will play a central role in preparing action plans, submitting information and implementing approved interventions.
The commission is also expected to continue consultations with state officials as the new roadmap and digital workflow are implemented.
The immediate focus will therefore be on moving the system from development and onboarding into practical use, while ensuring that digital information translates into better planning and monitoring of education projects.
For Nigerian communities, the key question will be whether the new platform can make information about education funding and projects more accessible and whether that information leads to stronger oversight and better delivery of services in schools.
The reform places digital technology at the centre of UBEC’s effort to improve transparency and planning, but its long-term value will ultimately be measured by what happens in classrooms and communities across the country.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), official information on digital platforms, project monitoring and education management.
- Punch, “UBEC unveils digital tracking platform for school projects, funds,” September 28, 2026.
- The Guardian, “UBEC digitises intervention funds, unveils 10-year roadmap to overhaul basic education,” September 28, 2026.
- ThisDay, “UBEC Launches Digital Platform for Education Funds, Begins New 10-Year Roadmap,” September 28, 2026.
- TVC News, “UBEC To Start Implementation Of 10-year UBE Roadmap In October,” September 28, 2026.
