Spread the word
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has commenced the national distribution of two million packs of sanitary towels and back-to-school learning materials to girls in public basic education schools across Nigeria.
The initiative, tagged “Flow with Confidence 2.0: Keeping Every Girl in School,” was launched on Monday, October 12, 2026, by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC).
Speaking at the ceremony, UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba, said the intervention was designed to address barriers preventing girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, from attending school regularly and participating fully in learning.
“Our message is clear: no girl child should have to choose between her dignity and her education,” Garba said.
She explained that the programme aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises education, child welfare and human capital development.
Garba commended the First Lady, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, for their commitment to advancing girls’ education.
Under the initiative, beneficiaries across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory will receive sanitary towels, school bags, shoes, exercise books, mathematics textbooks and other writing materials.
The UBEC boss recalled that the original Flow with Confidence programme, launched by the First Lady on October 2, 2025, provided a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities nationwide.
She described the expansion as a significant step towards improving school attendance, learner retention and educational outcomes, stressing that menstrual hygiene challenges should not prevent girls from pursuing their education with dignity.
Garba also disclosed that UBEC 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 development programmes 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 classrooms through interventions involving UBEC and other stakeholders.
The Executive Secretary further announced a scholarship intervention under UBEC’s Learners Retention Support Programme, targeting 100,000 learners in its first phase. Each beneficiary is expected to receive ₦20,000, under a total allocation of ₦2 billion, to help address financial challenges affecting school attendance and retention.
In her remarks, the First Lady urged state governments, education commissioners and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) to ensure transparent and accountable distribution of the materials and scholarship support.
She also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to help eliminate the stigma surrounding menstruation and encourage girls to remain in school.
Alausa described the initiative as another step towards securing the education and future of Nigerian girls, while urging students to take advantage of government interventions and remain committed to their studies.
Similarly, Suwaiba said the programme demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the dignity of the girl child, promoting menstrual health and removing barriers to school attendance.
Garba assured parents and stakeholders that UBEC would sustain collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, SUBEBs and development partners to ensure that vulnerable learners benefit from the interventions.
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.”
She stressed that keeping girls in school remained a shared national responsibility and a critical investment in Nigeria’s human capital development.
Spread the word