The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to removing barriers to girls’ education as the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, flagged off the distribution of two million packs of sanitary towels and back-to-school learning materials to girls in public basic education schools nationwide.
The initiative, tagged “Flow with Confidence 2.0: Keeping Every Girl in School,” was launched on Monday at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
Speaking at the ceremony, UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, said the intervention was designed to address practical challenges that prevent girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, from attending school regularly and participating fully in learning.
Garba said the inability to afford sanitary products should not force girls to miss school or compromise their dignity, stressing that menstrual hygiene was closely linked to school attendance, retention and educational outcomes.
“Our message is clear: no girl child should have to choose between her dignity and her education,” she said.
According to her, the initiative goes beyond the distribution of sanitary towels and learning materials, describing it as a strategic investment in the confidence, educational attainment and prospects of Nigerian girls
Under the initiative, girls in public basic education schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory will receive two million packs of sanitary towels, as well as school bags, school shoes, exercise books, mathematics textbooks and other writing materials.
Garba recalled that Senator Tinubu launched the original Flow with Confidence programme on October 2, 2025, under which 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities received a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads.
She said the expansion of the programme represented a significant step towards reaching more beneficiaries and strengthening efforts to keep girls in school.
The UBEC boss also disclosed that the Commission had facilitated the construction of more than 4,000 classrooms nationwide in less than three years, alongside the provision of water and sanitation facilities, learning materials, teacher capacity development and digital technology in public schools.
She added that more than three million pupils benefited from back-to-school materials in the preceding year, while approximately 700,000 out-of-school children had been supported to return to the classroom.
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 a ₦20,000 grant, representing a total allocation of ₦2 billion, to help address financial challenges affecting school attendance and retention.
She called on state governments, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), traditional and religious leaders, parents, teachers and development partners to ensure transparent and accountable implementation of the interventions.
In her remarks, Senator Tinubu commended UBEC for expanding the Flow with Confidence programme, noting that keeping girls in school required deliberate efforts to tackle challenges affecting their education, particularly in rural communities.
She reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring that Nigerian girls could pursue their education with dignity, confidence and the support required to fulfil their potential.
The First Lady also urged State First Ladies, Commissioners of Education and SUBEB chairmen to ensure transparent distribution of the materials and scholarship support.
She appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to help eliminate the stigma surrounding menstruation.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as a decisive step towards securing the education and future of Nigerian girls.
Alausa said the administration’s education reforms were aimed at widening access to learning and addressing barriers preventing children, particularly girls, from completing their education.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, also described the programme as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the dignity of the girl child, promoting menstrual health and hygiene, and removing barriers to school attendance.
Garba assured Nigerian girls, parents and stakeholders that UBEC would sustain its collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, SUBEBs and development partners to translate the Renewed Hope Agenda into tangible educational opportunities.
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, Garba said: “To our beautiful daughters, your dreams matter, your voices matter, and your future deserves every opportunity we can give you.”
She reiterated that UBEC would continue working to ensure that no Nigerian girl was denied education because of poverty, menstrual hygiene challenges or other preventable barriers, stressing that keeping girls in school remained a shared national responsibility and a critical investment in Nigeria’s human capital development.
