By Felix Khanoba
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to keeping girls in school as the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, launched the nationwide distribution of two million packs of sanitary towels and learning materials to female pupils in public basic education schools.
The initiative, which covers the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is designed to address menstrual hygiene challenges and other barriers that affect girls’ school attendance, retention and participation in learning.
Speaking at the national flag-off ceremony on Monday, October 12, 2026, at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba, said the intervention aligned with the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding access to quality basic education.
The programme, tagged “Flow with Confidence 2.0: Keeping Every Girl in School,” was launched as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
“ 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.”
Garba commended the First Lady, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, for their contributions to promoting girls’ education and advancing the education priorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
She described the distribution as a practical intervention to tackle the difficulties that prevent girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, from attending school consistently and participating fully in classroom activities.
According to her, the inability to afford sanitary products should not force female pupils to stay away from school or compromise their dignity.
“Our message is clear: no girl child should have to choose between her dignity and her education,” Dr. Garba said.
She explained that the initiative was not limited to providing sanitary towels and educational supplies but also represented an investment in the confidence, academic progress and future opportunities of Nigerian girls.
Under the programme, beneficiaries will receive sanitary towels alongside school bags, shoes, exercise books, mathematics textbooks and other writing materials.
Garba also praised the First Lady for her sustained advocacy for girls’ education and empowerment through the Renewed Hope Initiative, particularly her interventions targeting schoolgirls in rural and underserved communities.
She recalled that 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.
The UBEC chief said the expansion of the programme would extend support to more beneficiaries and strengthen national efforts to improve girls’ school attendance and retention.
Highlighting the commission’s achievements, Garba disclosed that UBEC had facilitated the construction of more than 4,000 classrooms nationwide in less than three years.
She said the commission had also supported the provision of water and sanitation facilities, learning materials, teacher training and digital technology in public schools.
According to her, more than three million pupils benefited from back-to-school materials in the preceding year, while interventions undertaken by UBEC in collaboration with relevant agencies and stakeholders had helped return approximately 700,000 out-of-school children to the classroom.
She said the commission would continue to translate government policies into practical improvements in school infrastructure, learning conditions and access to education.
Garba further disclosed that UBEC’s Learners Retention Support Programme would provide scholarships to 100,000 learners in its first phase.
Each beneficiary is expected to receive ₦20,000, with a total allocation of ₦2 billion earmarked for the intervention to help ease financial difficulties that contribute to school absenteeism and dropout.
She urged state governments, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents, teachers and development partners to ensure that the initiative was implemented transparently and that the intended beneficiaries received the support.
In her remarks, the First Lady commended UBEC and its leadership for expanding the Flow with Confidence programme to reach more schoolgirls and provide practical assistance to families.
Tinubu said keeping girls in school required deliberate action to address challenges affecting their education, particularly in rural communities where limited access to sanitary products could contribute to absenteeism.
She reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring that Nigerian girls could pursue their education with dignity, confidence and the support needed to realise their potential.
The First Lady also announced the planned scholarship intervention under UBEC’s Learners Retention Support Programme, which is expected to benefit 100,000 learners in its first phase, with each recipient receiving ₦20,000.
She urged state first ladies, commissioners of education and SUBEB chairmen to ensure transparent and accountable distribution of the support.
Tinubu also appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to help eliminate the stigma associated with menstruation before formally flagging off the distribution of the sanitary towels and learning materials.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as another step towards protecting the educational future of Nigerian girls.
He commended President Tinubu for placing the Nigerian child at the centre of national development, saying the administration’s education reforms were aimed at widening access to learning and addressing challenges that prevent children, especially girls, from completing their education.
Alausa also acknowledged the contributions of the First Lady, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, UBEC leadership and other stakeholders.
He encouraged students to take advantage of government interventions, remain committed to their studies and prepare to contribute to national development.
Similarly, Ahmad said the initiative demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the dignity of the girl child, promoting menstrual health and hygiene, and removing barriers to school attendance.
She commended the First Lady, the education minister and UBEC leadership for supporting the programme, while urging girls to remain focused, work hard and believe in their ability to achieve their ambitions.
Garba assured parents, schoolgirls and other stakeholders that UBEC would sustain its collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, SUBEBs and development partners to improve educational opportunities for children nationwide.
She said the commission would continue to strengthen school infrastructure, provide learning resources, support teacher development and implement targeted interventions to improve enrolment, attendance and retention, particularly among vulnerable learners.
Addressing the beneficiaries, she said: “To our beautiful daughters, your dreams matter, your voices matter, and your future deserves every opportunity we can give you.”
The UBEC executive secretary reiterated that the commission would continue working to ensure that no Nigerian girl was denied education because of poverty, menstrual hygiene challenges or other preventable barriers.
She stressed that keeping girls in school remained a shared national responsibility and a critical investment in the country’s human capital development.
