Governor of Borno, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum on Wednesday announced that Borno State invested N53.6 billion in the education sector in 2025 as part of a broad effort to rebuild systems damaged by years of insurgency.
He made the announcement while opening the 28th Quarterly Meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) at the International Conference Centre in Maiduguri.
The event brought together the executive chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards from across the country.
Zulum said the spending was designed to stabilize communities, strengthen learning systems, and support long-term peace in the state.
He explained that the 2025 allocation covered basic education, tertiary education, teacher welfare, and infrastructure upgrade.
He noted that N18.9 billion of the total was dedicated to large infrastructure projects across all local government areas.
“In the current year alone, the state has invested N18,987,069,675.33 in some major education infrastructure across all local government areas,” Zulum said.
The Governor said the state constructed more than 104 new schools in the last six years to replace facilities destroyed during the conflict.
Zulum also highlighted a N4 billion investment for teacher training programs aimed at improving classroom quality.
He said the state hired 4,000 qualified teachers and trained more than 11,000 basic-level teachers within the same period.
According to him, the state implemented the minimum wage and introduced rural posting allowances, teachers’ quarters in senatorial zones, and payment of outstanding gratuities to improve welfare.
He added that tertiary institutions received N6.9 billion in capital funding for ongoing projects.
The state also approved N1 billion to support the transition of the College of Education, Bama, into the new Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship.
He said 567 academic staff were recruited to strengthen tertiary and vocational programs.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, urged delegates to use the meeting to develop policies that can help reduce the country’s out-of-school children population.
Before the opening session, the Minister, the Governor, and UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba, commissioned three newly completed mega schools in Maiduguri.
Bulabulin and Kaleri Mega Schools were constructed by the Borno State Government.
The Bilingual Education Boarding School in Ngarannam was built by the Federal Government with support from the Islamic Development Bank.
Dr. Garba said the quarterly meeting provides a platform for peer review and coordination between federal and state education agencies.
