Delta State has been urged to strengthen its implementation of basic education programmes and maintain access to federal intervention funds as it positions itself for the World Bank-backed HOPE-EDU programme, valued at more than $500 million.
The call came from the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Aisha Garba, during a courtesy visit to the Asagba of Asaba Kingdom, Obi Professor Epiphany Azinge, in Asaba.
The visit formed part of activities surrounding UBEC’s 30th Quarterly Meeting, which brought together chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) from across the country.
Garba explained that states seeking to benefit from HOPE-EDU must meet specific performance requirements.
Among them are accessing the 2026 UBE Matching Grant and achieving at least 50 per cent implementation of projects and activities contained in their approved 2025 Basic Education Action Plans.
For Delta, the UBEC chief said the state already had a strong foundation, having accessed all its UBE Matching Grant allocations up to 2025.
She encouraged the state to sustain that record while ensuring that approved intervention funds are hdeployed promptly and effectively.
Garba said compliance with the conditions would put Delta in a stronger position to participate in the programme, which is aimed at improving education financing and strengthening foundational learning.
“We are confident that this will not only consolidate the remarkable progress already achieved but also accelerate improvements in access, quality and learning outcomes across the state’s basic education system, ” she said.
She also used the occasion to highlight the importance of traditional institutions in supporting government efforts to improve education.
Welcoming the UBEC delegation, the Asagba of Asaba described the visit as significant, particularly as Asaba hosted education administrators from different parts of Nigeria.
Azinge pledged the continued support of the traditional institution for initiatives designed to expand access to quality basic education, stressing that education remains central to the nation’s future.
“Every child in Nigeria deserves that basic education, and we know that the responsibility on you is quite enormous,” he said.
The monarch also expressed support for the Delta State Government’s education initiatives, noting that a strong basic education system is essential to developing the people and securing Nigeria’s future.
The meeting was attended by Delta State Commissioner for Basic Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu; Delta SUBEB Chairman, Hon. Samuel Mariere; other SUBEB chairmen from across the country; the 25 Local Education Authority secretaries in Delta; and members of the Asaba Council of Chiefs.
With the HOPE-EDU opportunity now tied to measurable performance and funding compliance, Delta’s ability to sustain its record of accessing education grants and implementing approved programmes could prove crucial to its next phase of basic education development.
