Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, on Thursday, inaugurated the 28th quarterly meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), revealing that the state invested ₦53.6 billion in education this year. The two-day meeting in Maiduguri brought together executive chairmen and management of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) from across Nigeria.
Governor Zulum highlighted the state’s commitment to rebuilding schools destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents, including the construction of 104 mega secondary schools and recruitment of thousands of teachers over the past six years. “This administration has prioritised the strengthening of our teaching workforce, with an investment of ₦4 billion in teacher training,” he stated, adding that over 11,000 basic-level teachers received intensive professional development.
He also noted improvements in teacher welfare through minimum wage implementation, rural posting allowances, teachers’ quarters, and settlement of outstanding gratuities. In 2025 alone, Borno spent ₦18.99 billion on major educational infrastructure projects across all local government areas.
In tertiary education, the state spent about ₦7 billion on capital projects, while allocating an additional ₦1 billion to support the transition of the College of Education to the Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship (FUAE) in Bama. Investments also covered technical and vocational education, ICT, scholarships, and support for Arabic and Almajiri education.
Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, urged delegates to ensure discussions translate into actionable policies tackling out-of-school children, teacher development, and infrastructure deficits. UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba called for strategic deliberations and experience sharing to strengthen federal-state collaborations.
Before the meeting’s opening, Governor Zulum, Dr Alausa, and Garba commissioned three newly completed mega schools in Maiduguri, marking a milestone in the state’s educational development drive.
