President Bola Tinubu has appointed a Senior Education Specialist with the World Bank, Aisha Garba, as the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education (UBEC).

This was announced via a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.

Onanuga noted that Garba, an international development specialist, brings more than 24 years of experience driving impactful programmes in education for human and economic development, working in Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Kenya, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

The presidential spokesman added: “With over 15 years of hands-on experience at the World Bank, Garba has consistently led end-to-end design and management of education programmes and reforms, from conceptualisation to completion and impact assessment.

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“Apart from being actively interested in and involved in human development issues, the development specialist will share her rich network with governments, development partners, and communities, as well as the skills she acquired working in fragile, conflict, and violent settings to deliver sustainable solutions in basic education.

“Garba had previously worked on the team that met the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets in Nigeria and consulted for the World Bank, Department for International Development, BOND-UK, Regent Foundation, and Muslim Aid Organisation.

“She is an alumna of Petra American University in Jordan, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts combined degree in English and Computer Studies in 2000. She later got a Master’s in International Development at the University of Birmingham in the UK in 2007.”

Onanuga stated that Tinubu expects Garba, as the Executive Secretary of UBEC, to drive the renewed hope and vision of providing and supporting quality education and ensuring that Nigerian children become globally competitive.

The Star