ASABA — More than N65 billion in state counterpart funds and about N267 billion in intervention funds already released for basic education have not been put to use, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has said. The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, disclosed this on Thursday in Asaba, Delta State, while opening the 30th Quarterly Meeting of the commission with Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs). The four-day meeting is themed 'Repositioning Basic Education in Nigeria to Optimise Investment and Impact'. Garba said money cannot improve education while it sits in bank accounts. She urged states to plan, implement and monitor projects more effectively, and to measure success by the impact on learners rather than the number of projects completed. She also called on governors to increase funding for education, noting that federal funds alone cannot meet the needs of about 40 million school-age children. Under the Universal Basic Education framework, states must provide 50 per cent counterpart funding to access federal matching grants. As of March 18, 2026, UBEC funds not yet accessed by states stood at N97.88 billion, of which N68.1 billion was from 2025. Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said education is a key pillar of his administration's agenda. Stakeholders at the meeting called for greater accountability among UBEC, SUBEBs, development partners and communities.