The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has unveiled a new set of national standards, implementation guidelines and an early identification tool aimed at tackling the exclusion of children with disabilities from Nigeria’s basic education system.

Speaking at the National Stakeholder Engagement on the Utilization of the National Special and Inclusive Basic Education Minimum Standards, Implementation Guidelines and Functional Difficulty Early Identification Tool in Abuja on Monday, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, said the initiative marks a major step towards ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to quality and inclusive basic education.

Represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Razak Akinyemi, Garba said despite significant expansion in school enrolment over the past decade, children with disabilities continue to face disproportionate barriers to enrolment, participation, progression and learning outcomes.

Citing global evidence from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), she noted that children with disabilities are significantly less likely to complete basic education due to inadequate early identification of learning difficulties, inaccessible learning environments and limited teacher preparedness.

To address these gaps, she said the Commission had developed three key national instruments to strengthen inclusive education across the country.

According to her, the National Special and Inclusive Basic Education Minimum Standards establish measurable benchmarks covering governance, school infrastructure, accessibility, teacher competencies, curriculum adaptation, assistive technology, learner assessment, safeguarding and quality assurance.

The UBEC boss explained that the standards would provide a harmonised national framework to promote accountability, consistency and equity in the delivery of inclusive education.

Garba added that the newly developed Implementation Guidelines clearly define the responsibilities of UBEC, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), Local Government Education Authorities, school administrators, teachers, School-Based Management Committees and communities to ensure effective implementation of inclusive education policies.

She also announced the introduction of the Functional Difficulty Early Identification Tool, designed to facilitate the early detection of developmental, sensory, cognitive, communication and behavioural challenges among young learners.

According to her, early identification and intervention have been proven globally to improve school readiness, literacy, social participation and long-term educational outcomes while reducing the cost of remedial interventions.

“The introduction of this tool represents a strategic shift from reactive intervention to preventive and evidence-based educational planning,” she said.

Garba, however, stressed that developing standards and tools alone would not improve educational outcomes unless they are backed by strong institutional capacity, coordinated implementation and continuous monitoring.

She urged State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) to integrate the new frameworks into planning and budgeting processes, institutionalise functional difficulty screening in schools and Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) centres, strengthen referral systems with the health and social sectors and establish reliable disability-disaggregated data systems.

The UBEC boss said implementation of the new instruments would strengthen compliance with minimum standards, improve teacher effectiveness, enhance learner participation and generate credible data to support equitable financing and evidence-based education planning.

She noted that the initiative would also help Nigeria meet its commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 4, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the National Policy on Inclusive Education.

Garba commended the Federal Ministry of Education for its policy leadership and acknowledged the technical support provided by UNICEF and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in developing and validating the national documents.

She challenged education officials and other stakeholders to move beyond participation in the engagement by ensuring that the standards, guidelines and early identification procedures are fully integrated into classroom practice, teacher professional development, school supervision and state education planning.

She also called on participants to share practical experiences and innovative strategies that would accelerate the expansion of quality inclusive education across the country.

In her remarks, Education Officer of UNICEF, Blessing Afuwai, said the new frameworks would strengthen the capacity of states to identify children with disabilities and other special educational needs early, improve access to quality learning, and ensure that no child is left behind.

Afuwai reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the Federal Government and UBEC in implementing inclusive education policies, stressing that early identification, accessible learning environments and well-trained teachers are essential to improving educational outcomes for vulnerable children.

She urged state education authorities and other stakeholders to effectively utilise the new standards and tools, noting that their successful implementation would help guarantee equitable access to quality basic education for every Nigerian child, regardless of disability or functional difficulty.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Director, Department of Special Programmes and Early Childhood, UBEC, Dr. Chijioke Onwuzurike, described the workshop as a strategic national intervention aimed at strengthening the capacity of states to effectively implement inclusive and special education across Nigeria.

He said the training was designed to equip Directors of Special Programmes and Special Education Desk Officers from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory with the knowledge and practical tools required to translate national inclusive education policies into improved learning outcomes for children with disabilities and other learners requiring additional educational support.

According to him, although Nigeria has made significant progress in developing policies and institutional frameworks for inclusive education, a major gap still exists between policy formulation and implementation at the state, local government and school levels.

He stressed that bridging the gap requires technically competent education managers equipped with standardised procedures, practical tools and measurable implementation strategies.

Onwuzurike explained that the workshop would deepen participants’ understanding of the National Special and Inclusive Basic Education Minimum Standards and the National Special and Inclusive Basic Education Implementation Guidelines, which provide nationally agreed benchmarks for governance, infrastructure, accessibility, instructional delivery, assistive technology, curriculum adaptation, teacher competencies, learner support services, assessment, monitoring and community participation.