By Adeola Kunle
Garba Commends Tinubu, First Lady, Alausa, Suwaiba for Advancing Girls’ Education
The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Aisha Garba, has reiterated the Commission’s determination to eliminate barriers to girls’ education as First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, launched the nationwide distribution of two million packs of sanitary towels and back-to-school learning materials to girls in public basic education schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Dr. Garba described the initiative as a practical demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to improving access to basic education and safeguarding the well-being of the Nigerian child under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This programme reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that the barriers to girl child education are adequately addressed in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which prioritises the education and well-being of every Nigerian child as an essential pillar of National Development,” she said.
The UBEC Executive Secretary commended Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, for their continued efforts to promote girls’ education and advance the education priorities of the Tinubu administration.
The initiative, known as “Flow with Confidence 2.0: Keeping Every Girl in School,” was officially launched on Monday, October 12, 2026, at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
Speaking at the national flag-off ceremony, Dr. Garba explained that the intervention was designed to address practical difficulties that prevent girls, particularly those from low-income and disadvantaged households, from attending school consistently and participating effectively in classroom activities.
She emphasised that no girl should be compelled to stay away from school or suffer a loss of dignity because her family could not afford menstrual hygiene products. According to her, addressing such challenges is critical to improving school attendance, retaining learners in the education system and achieving better learning outcomes.
“Our message is clear: no girl child should have to choose between her dignity and her education,” Dr. Garba declared.
She noted that Flow with Confidence 2.0 extends beyond the provision of sanitary towels and educational supplies, describing it as a strategic investment in the self-confidence, academic progress and future opportunities of Nigerian girls.
The UBEC chief added that the programme supports the Renewed Hope Agenda’s emphasis on education and human capital development as key foundations for national growth and sustainable development.
Dr. Garba also praised the First Lady for her consistent advocacy for girls’ education and empowerment, particularly through the Renewed Hope Initiative, which has supported efforts to address challenges affecting schoolgirls in rural and underserved communities.
She recalled that Senator Tinubu launched the original Flow with Confidence programme on October 2, 2025, with the provision of a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities across the country.
According to her, the expansion of the programme through UBEC represents a significant development in the drive to reach more girls and strengthen national efforts to prevent avoidable school absenteeism.
Highlighting the Commission’s achievements under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Dr. Garba disclosed that UBEC had facilitated the construction of more than 4,000 classrooms nationwide in less than three years.
She explained that the Commission’s interventions also covered the provision of water and sanitation facilities, instructional materials, teacher capacity development and digital technology to improve the quality of learning in public schools.
The Executive Secretary further revealed that more than three million pupils benefited from back-to-school materials in the preceding year, while UBEC, working with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders, had supported initiatives that returned approximately 700,000 out-of-school children to classrooms.
She said these achievements demonstrated the Commission’s resolve to convert government policies into measurable improvements in school facilities, access to education and learning opportunities for children across the country.
Under Flow with Confidence 2.0, girls enrolled in public basic education schools throughout the 36 states and the FCT are expected to receive two million packs of sanitary towels alongside essential school supplies.
The materials include school bags, school shoes, exercise books, mathematics textbooks and writing materials to support pupils’ participation in school and reduce the financial pressure on their families.
Dr. Garba also announced the planned scholarship support under UBEC’s Learners Retention Support Programme, which is expected to benefit 100,000 learners in its first phase.
Under the proposed intervention, each beneficiary is expected to receive ₦20,000, bringing the total allocation to ₦2 billion. The support is intended to ease financial difficulties that could prevent children from enrolling in school, attending classes regularly or completing their education.
She urged state governments, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), traditional institutions, religious leaders, parents, teachers and development partners to ensure that the programme was implemented transparently and accountably, with the intended beneficiaries receiving the support.
In her remarks, Senator Oluremi Tinubu commended UBEC and its leadership for extending Flow with Confidence to more schoolgirls and providing practical assistance to families.
The First Lady observed that keeping girls in school requires deliberate action to address the circumstances that interfere with their education, especially in rural communities where inadequate access to sanitary products can contribute to absenteeism.
She reaffirmed her commitment to creating an environment in which Nigerian girls can pursue their education with dignity, confidence and the support required to realise their full potential.
Senator Tinubu also announced the planned scholarship intervention under UBEC’s Learners Retention Support Programme, which is expected to cover 100,000 learners in its first phase, with each beneficiary receiving ₦20,000.
She called on State First Ladies, Commissioners of Education and SUBEB Chairmen to ensure that the distribution process was transparent and accountable. She also appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and other community stakeholders to help dismantle the stigma associated with menstruation.
The First Lady subsequently performed the national flag-off of the distribution of the two million packs of sanitary towels and back-to-school learning materials.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, described the initiative as a significant step towards protecting the educational prospects and future of Nigerian girls.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for placing the Nigerian child at the centre of national development, explaining that the administration’s education reforms were intended to expand access to learning and remove obstacles that prevent children, particularly girls, from completing their education.
Dr. Alausa also acknowledged the First Lady’s sustained commitment to girls’ education and empowerment, as well as the contributions of the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, UBEC leadership and other stakeholders supporting the initiative.
He encouraged students to maximise the opportunities provided through government programmes, remain dedicated to their studies and develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described Flow with Confidence 2.0 as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the dignity of girls, improving menstrual health and hygiene, and addressing factors that hinder school attendance.
Professor Ahmad commended the First Lady, the Minister of Education and UBEC leadership for their contributions to the advancement of girls’ education. She urged schoolgirls to remain focused on their academic goals, work diligently and maintain confidence in their ability to achieve excellence.
Reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to sustaining the gains of the initiative, Dr. Garba assured girls, parents and other stakeholders that UBEC would continue working with the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, SUBEBs and development partners to translate the Renewed Hope Agenda into meaningful educational opportunities for every Nigerian child.
She explained that the Commission would sustain efforts to improve school infrastructure, provide essential learning resources, strengthen teacher development and implement targeted programmes aimed at increasing enrolment, attendance and retention, with particular attention to vulnerable learners.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Dr. Garba encouraged the girls to remain hopeful and ambitious, stressing that their aspirations and future mattered to the country.
“To our beautiful daughters, your dreams matter, your voices matter, and your future deserves every opportunity we can give you,” she said.
The UBEC Executive Secretary reiterated that the Commission would continue working to ensure that no Nigerian girl was denied access to education because of poverty, menstrual hygiene challenges or other preventable obstacles.
She emphasised that keeping girls in school was a collective national responsibility and an important investment in Nigeria’s human capital, social development and future prosperity.
Adeola Kunle
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