<b>Organizational structures and the implementation of universal basic education in fragile contexts: Evidence from North Eastern Nigeria</b><b></b>

The effectiveness of educational reforms depends largely on the organizational structures and processes responsible for their implementation. This study examined organizational effectiveness in implementing the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Blueprint in North-Eastern Nigeria, focusing on organizational clarity, resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation, and community participation. The study was guided by General Systems Theory and Gulick’s POSDCORB framework, which emphasize the importance of coordinated organizational processes in achieving institutional objectives. A mixed-methods approach employing a descriptive survey design and qualitative interviews was adopted. The study population comprised administrators, teachers, and community stakeholders from Borno, Bauchi, and Adamawa States. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 120 respondents were selected from State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs), schools, and School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs). Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression analysis, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that organizational clarity emerged as the strongest predictor of UBE implementation outcomes, followed by resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation, and community participation. The regression model explained 57.9% of the variance in UBE implementation outcomes, indicating that organizational effectiveness significantly influences educational performance. Qualitative findings further highlighted the importance of administrative coordination, stakeholder engagement, and accountability mechanisms, while identifying security challenges and resource constraints as major impediments to effective implementation. The study concludes that strengthening organizational effectiveness is critical for improving the implementation of the UBE Blueprint and achieving sustainable educational outcomes in North-Eastern Nigeria. It recommends enhanced institutional coordination, improved funding mechanisms, stronger monitoring systems, and increased community participation to support effective educational governance and service delivery.