Dr. Grace Adagba champions Digital Transformation at 28th UBEC Quarterly Meeting in Maiduguri

By James Ike

The Executive Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Grace Adagba, has called for accelerated adoption of digital monitoring systems and data-driven planning to enhance the delivery of basic education across Nigeria.

The Information Officer of Benue SUBEB, Emmanuella Akese, in a statement explained that she made the remarks during her participation at the 28th Quarterly Meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), held from December 9 to 12, 2025, at the Musa Usman Secretariat International Conference Hall.

The four-day meeting, themed “Implementation of Digital Monitoring Systems for Accountable and Transparent Basic Education Delivery,” brought together SUBEB chairmen from across the country to discuss strategies for improving transparency, efficiency, and quality in the execution of basic education projects.

Speaking at the opening session, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Hajiya Aisha Garba, emphasized the need to transition from manual reporting to a unified digital monitoring platform. “We must move away from fragmented, manual processes to a comprehensive digital system that captures projects, teacher development activities, learner performance, and resource utilisation across the country,” Garba said.

Dr. Adagba, who also serves as the Dean of SUBEB Chairmen in the North Central zone, represented the National Dean of SUBEB Chairmen, Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja. In her presentation, she provided updates on achievements, challenges, and priorities of the 36 State SUBEBs and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), highlighting progress in the North Central states.

“While we have recorded significant strides in infrastructure development and teacher capacity building, challenges such as gaps in data management and limited digital literacy among education personnel still require urgent attention,” Dr. Adagba stated. She further outlined key priorities for the coming year, including expanded adoption of digital monitoring systems, enhanced data-driven planning, accelerated enrolment campaigns, improved learning outcomes, and greater transparency in all Universal Basic Education (UBE) interventions.

As part of the program, SUBEB Chairmen paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, while the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, commissioned several school projects, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening basic education infrastructure.

A significant highlight of the meeting was the official unveiling of the revised Matching Grant Guidelines, designed to streamline processes, improve accountability, and enhance access to intervention funds. According to the press statement by Benue SUBEB Information Officer, Emmanuella Akese, “The meeting is expected to further deepen collaboration between UBEC and SUBEBs, paving the way for a more transparent, technology-driven, and effective basic education system capable of delivering quality learning opportunities to children across Nigeria.”