The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, has called on public relations officers across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to assume stronger roles in communicating government reforms in the basic education sector.

She made the call on Monday in Abuja at the opening of a two-day training workshop for heads of public relations of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), with the theme: “Strengthening Strategic Communication for Effective Basic Education Delivery.”

The Executive Secretary described the participants as “gatekeepers of information and shapers of narratives,” stressing that effective communication is critical to achieving the goals of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Education.

“The most brilliant policies and the most dedicated efforts can fail to achieve their full potential if they are not effectively communicated,” she said. “Your work breathes life into our policies. You are the storytellers who will convey the hope and the tangible benefits of the ongoing reforms to every corner of your states.”

Garba explained that the commission is aggressively pursuing reforms targeted at reducing the number of out-of-school children, enhancing teacher training and development, and promoting skills acquisition to prepare Nigerian children for the future.

According to her, while the commission has rolled out several initiatives to revitalise basic education, their success depends largely on how well they are understood and embraced by the public.

The Executive Secretary described the role of PR officers as a “national calling,’ urging them to be proactive, innovative, and persuasive in shaping public perception and building trust among parents, teachers, community leaders, and policymakers.

“This training is not about business as usual. It is about sharpening our tools, rethinking our strategies, and embracing new and innovative ways to engage with the public. We cannot afford to be reactive. We must be proactive, passionate, and persuasive champions for basic education,” she charged.

She concluded by challenging participants to use the two-day training to recommit themselves to national renewal in education, adding that “the time for incremental change is over; the time for transformative impact is now.”

The training, which takes place from September 15 to 16, aims to enhance the capacity of state education communicators in promoting the commission’s policies and promoting wider acceptance of ongoing reforms.