Aisha’s UBEC Appointment, Renewal of Hope Towards End of Out-Of-School Children- IA-Foundation

…Foundation visits London Mayor of Southwark

An Out-of-school children focused Non-Governmental Organisation, IA-Foundation has described the appointment of Ms Aisha Garba as the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) as a renewal of hope towards ending out-of-school children in Nigeria considering her strong leadership values, multisectoral partnerships, and a shared sense of purpose.

In a statement issued to newsmen on Friday, The Founder, Mrs Ibironke Adeagbo said the newly appointed Executive Secretary is visionary, experienced and honest, noting her capacity of positively changing the country’s education landscape.

While describing her as a round peg in a round hole, Adeagbo commended the Federal Government for appointing one with commitment to inclusive, quality education.

She, therefore, expressed optimism towards partnering with the commission for the expansion of access to education in Nigeria.

“This appointment renews our hope that with strong leadership, multisectoral partnerships, and a shared sense of purpose, we can make out-of-school children a thing of the past in Nigeria.

“With over two decades of impactful work in education policy and development across Africa and globally, Aisha Garba brings a wealth of experience, vision, and integrity to this crucial role.

Her leadership comes at a critical time in Nigeria’s education landscape, as we collectively confront the urgent challenge of over 18 million out-of-school children.

“We believe Aisha is the best fit for this role, and we commend the Federal Government for making such an inspired and strategic choice.

Her track record in conflict-affected regions and her commitment to inclusive, quality education will be instrumental in driving sustainable change.

“At IA-Foundation, we look forward to working closely with Ms. Garba and the entire UBEC leadership to expand access to education across the country.

In particular, we are eager to collaborate in engaging state governments on counterpart funding, ensuring that all eligible states actively draw down federal education grants.

Only through such collaboration can we scale efforts to return millions of children back to school, especially the most vulnerable.” She said.

Meanwhile, The IA-Foundation paid a courtesy visit to the Worshipful Mayor of Southwark, Councillor Sunny Lambe, to formally express appreciation for his presence and support at the charity’s fundraising gala held in April 2025.

According to her, The visit also served as a continuation of the collaborative relationship between the London Borough of Southwark and IA-Foundation, initially established under former Mayor Councillor Michael Situ.