On Friday at the Roundhouse in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu—speaking through Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat—reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to enhancing educational outcomes across Nigeria, with a special focus on Lagos.
“In 2025, no child in Nigeria should be left out of school,” declared the governor, insisting that education transcends regional, cultural, or traditional boundaries. He emphasised that primary education is the bedrock of long-term national development and that “if we get primary education right, the future of our children will be secure.”
With those stirring words, Sanwo-Olu underscored the urgent need to make education a fundamental right accessible to every Nigerian child.
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Strengthening Foundations: Smart Model School and Strategic Support
The Governor’s pledge forms part of his administration’s planned collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to enhance the functionality and impact of the Smart Model School located at Iworo-Ajido in Badagry.
The commission built the school with cutting-edge facilities—including computers and interactive smart boards—and equipped it to accommodate nearly a thousand students. However, UBEC officials emphasised that without concerted state support—particularly in staffing, security, transportation, and infrastructure—its potential cannot be fully realised.
The state promised to step up with qualified teachers, robust security, infrastructure completion, and student transportation to ensure the school is not just a monument of investment but a thriving educational hub.
From Lagos to All States: A Model Worth Replicating
Governor Sanwo-Olu saw this partnership as a springboard toward a broader national transformation. He called on UBEC to facilitate peer review among states and enable real-time knowledge sharing. He argued that if Lagos’s best practices can be documented and shared, other regions can adopt and adapt these models to benefit broader educational development across the federation.
Then he commended UBEC’s new flexible funding model, saying it allows states to allocate resources based on unique local needs—not a rigid, “one-size-fits-all” approach. This flexibility, he suggested, will bolster innovation and make educational investment more responsive and effective.
The governor also reminded stakeholders that, beyond infrastructure, education planning must be data-driven and inclusive. He urged attention to special-needs education and proactive pupil health checks—including vision and hearing screenings—to ensure that no child is left behind.
Linking history with aspiration, he evoked Badagry’s past as a slave route to remind us that only through education can Nigeria secure true self-sufficiency—and ensure the nation never again becomes reliant on external powers.
UBEC’s Endorsement: Lagos as Educational Vanguard
UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba echoed the governor’s sentiments, revealing that the commission deliberately chose to host its quarterly senior management meeting in Lagos—underlining the city’s leadership in educational outcomes and using its example as a benchmark for other states.
She stressed that Lagos already boasts one of Nigeria’s most vibrant private-sector education ecosystems. UBEC intends to leverage this strength by forging strong partnerships with both government and private education providers—to improve access and quality across all states.
“Low-cost private schools” in Southern Nigeria and neighbouring states, she noted, could replicate the Lagos model with adequate support—especially from the private sector—to help bridge persistent gaps in learning outcomes nationwide.
Sanwo-Olu is Building a Better Future Together with UBEC
Governor Sanwo-Olu’s pledge to partner with UBEC in strengthening the Smart Model School is more than a project—it is a vision for scaling up quality primary education across Nigeria.
By grounding this effort in local realities, encouraging flexible funding, championing peer learning among states, and promoting data-driven, inclusive planning, Lagos sets a powerful example. This partnership with UBEC amplifies that promise.
With education firmly on policy agendas—and with clear aspirations aligned between state government and federal agencies like UBEC—Lagos demonstrates how collaboration, accountability, and innovation can shape a brighter, self-sustaining future for Nigeria’s children.
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