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Tag: State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)

  • Obaseki meets contractors on revamp of 230 schools

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has vowed to prosecute any contractor who delivers sub-standard work on the 230 public primary schools being refurbished by the state government through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

    The governor gave the warning when he held a meeting with the contractors handling the school renovation project, at Government House, in Benin City, on Thursday.

    He said, “Ordinary, I will not interact with contractors but because of the priority we place on basic education, I decided to have this all-important meeting with you. We have five pillars of our SUBEB system and one of them is the refurbishment of our schools.”

    He added that the state government has set up a team that will monitor the refurbishment of the schools, noting that any contractor who does not perform as expected will be prosecuted.

    “To fix basic education, you need to look at all aspects, the training of teachers, review of curriculum and refurbishment of the physical environment of the schools. We want you to understand that you are a part of our efforts at rebuilding our basic education system and thus you must deliver on the job as specified. We are taking the process seriously and anybody that does not perform as expected will be in trouble,” he warned.

    He urged the contractors to fast-track delivery of the job, so they could bid for the additional 230 schools recently advertised.

    Some of the schools to be refurbished include Ojirami Primary School in Ojirami, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area (LGA); Ugbogo Primary School in Igarra, Akoko Edo LGA; Amegor Primary School in Uwelu, Egor LGA; Eweka Primary School in Egor LGA; Olua Primary School in Egor LGA; Ivbiyeneva Primary School in Ikpoba Okha LGA; Aduwawa Primary School in Ikpoba Okha and Uhie Primary School.

    Others are Egbokor Primary School, Idunmwingun Primary School, Iguere Primary School, Evboeghae primary school and Oza Primary School, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, and over 200 other schools across the three senatorial districts.

  • Obaseki threatens to jail contractors over sub-standard jobs

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has warned contractors who won bids to build or refurbish 230 public primary schools to deliver quality jobs.

    Governor Obaseki who threatened to jail any contractor who delivers sub-standard work through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

    Obaseki who read the riot act at a meeting with the contractors handling said public schools refurbishment was one of the five pillars of the Edo SUBEB.

    He disclosed that the state government has set up a team that would monitor the refurbishment of the schools.

    Obaseki said any contractor who does not perform as expected would be prosecuted.

    He urged the contractors to fast-track delivery of the job, so they could bid for the additional 230 schools recently advertised.

    According to him, “Ordinary, I will not interact with contractors but because of the priority we place on basic education, I decided to have this all-important meeting with you. We have five pillars of our SUBEB system and one of them is the refurbishment of our schools.

    Read Also: Obaseki assures new Police Commissioner of support

    “To fix basic education, you need to look at all aspects, the training of teachers, review of curriculum and refurbishment of the physical environment of the schools. We want you to understand that you are a part of our efforts at rebuilding our basic education system and thus you must deliver on the job as specified. We are taking the process seriously and anybody that does not perform as expected will be in trouble,” he warned.

    Some of the schools to be refurbished include Ojirami Primary School in Ojirami, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area (LGA); Ugbogo Primary School in Igarra, Akoko Edo LGA; Amegor Primary School in Uwelu, Egor LGA; Eweka Primary School in Egor LGA; Olua Primary School in Egor LGA; Ivbiyeneva Primary School in Ikpoba Okha LGA; Aduwawa Primary School in Ikpoba Okha and Uhie Primary School.

    Others are Egbokor Primary School, Idunmwingun Primary School, Iguere Primary School, Evboeghae primary school and Oza Primary School, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, and over 200 other schools across the three senatorial districts

  • Ganduje rewards two teachers, cleaner with car, motorcycles for honesty

    Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Monday rewarded two outstanding primary school teachers, including a cleaner with the  State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) who found N700, 000 and returned it, with a brand new Gulf 4 model car and two Motorcycles for honesty and dedication to duty.

    Ganduje who made the presentation during the ongoing 2nd Kano Basic Education Week held at Government House, said the recognition of performing primary schools’ teachers was part of his administration’s priority attention to quality education in the state.

    The beneficiaries include Malam Musa Auwalu Gwarzo, Head Teacher, Gwarzo Model Primary school got brand new Car; and Garba Shehu Sule, an MSC holder who teaches in Toranke primary School, Ajingi Local Government Area was rewarded with brand new motorcycle for their diligence and commitment to duty.

    The third beneficiary, Malam Ado Messenger, a cleaner with State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) office, who found N700,000 and returned it, was also rewarded with brand new motorcycle for his honesty and dedication to duty.

    Read Also: Ganduje distributes 100 transformers to communities

    Ganduje who explained that his government now pay N550 million on primary school teachers monthly after cleared backlog of teachers promotion arrears.

    The governor who  earlier pledged to pay N30,600 as new minimum wage however reaffirmed commitment to align with the outcome of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Nigeria governors’ forum’s resolution.

    The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has recognized the performance some teachers and education staff in the state who received awards in different categories.

    The Chairman of Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Alhaji Zakari Bagwai posited that the award presentation was initiated to motivate the teachers and encourage them to put in their commitment.

    He said the second edition of Kano Basic Education Week, tagged “Education, Basic Community Responsibility” was organized to underscore the achievements and challenges confronting basic education in the state.

  • Jigawa to recruit 750 new teachers

    Jigawa Government said it has concluded plans to recruit 750 additional teachers in the state.

    Alhaji Wasilu Umar, the spokesman, Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Dutse on Wednesday.

    Umar said the board has already commenced interview for applicants.

    He explained that the Executive Chairman of the board, Alhaji Salisu Zakar, noted the recruitment exercise was part of government’s commitments towards having quality education in the state.

    The spokesman quoted Zakar as saying that the state government intended to recruit 1,393 teachers at basic level.

    Read Also: Jigawa to recruit 1,736 teachers

    He said that 643 were already recruited in the first round while the board would recruit the remaining 750 to fill the existing gap.

    “The chairman added that based on the approval of the state government, the board will recruit 274 English teachers, 934 Mathematics teachers and 185 Basic Science teachers for primary and junior secondary schools across the state.

    “He therefore urged successful applicants to justify the confidence reposed on them by dedicating themselves to imparting knowledge and moral character to the pupils in their respective,” the spokesman said.

  • FRSC to introduce safety education in Plateau public schools

    The Plateau Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC ) said it would soon introduce road safety education in public primary and secondary schools in the state.

    Mrs Pat Emeordi, the corps Sector Commander in the state, made this known in an interview with the News men on Monday in Jos.

    According her, the initiative is aimed at inculcating safety education in children with a view to increasing their level of awareness.

    “The idea behind this initiative is to catch them young and to enable them understand the fundamentals and rudiments of safety education.

    “We are already talking with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the state Ministry of Education to ensure the implementation of the initiative.

    “So, by the special grace of God, we shall soon start the programme in Plateau,” he said.

    Emeordi explained that the safety education would be infused into core subjects like English Language, Mathematics, Science and Technical Education, among others.

    Read also: FRSC to arrest vehicles with unauthorised number plates

    “Government doesn’t need to employ new teachers to teach safety education, but teachers of these core subjects will be the ones to do it.

    “We shall train these teachers who will in turn teach the students in the schools,’’ she added.

    Emeordi called on the state government to support the initiative and the corps in its bid to rid the road of accidents.

    NAN

  • Kwara shares N4bn loan to offset teachers, LG workers’ salary arrears

    The Kwara State Government has shared  N4 billion credit facility  between  the State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ) and the local government councils  to offset part of the salary arrears owed their workers.

    The state Joint Account Allocation Committee ( JAAC ) shared the loan between SUBEB and local government councils late on Monday.

    The newsmen reports that the 16 local government councils in the state received N1.150 billion.

    Also, the State Universal Basic Education ( SUBEB ), responsible for primary and junior secondary school workers, got N2.150 billion.

    Mr Joshua Omokanye told newsmen that the state government obtained the loan following an agreement among the executives of the 16 local government areas.

    The newsmen reports that Omokanye is the current Chairman of the State’s Association of Local Governments of Nigeria ( ALGON ).

    Omokanye, also the Chairman of Oyun Local Government Area, said that N400 million from the loan was earmarked to pay local government pensioners.

    He added that N300 million would go into the payment of allowances owed former political office holders at the council level.

    Read Also: Kwara monarchs get N49m arrears

    According to him, the part payment of salary arrears will ameliorate the sufferings of the staff of the two government units.

    The meeting was attended by the chairmen of 16 local government councils in the state and their treasurers.

    Also, the permanent secretaries in the state Ministries of Finance and that of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs attended the meeting.

    Others that also attended include: the chairman of the state Local Government Service Commission and leaders of labour unions among others.

    The newsmen reports that the Kwara House of Assembly approved the request from Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed to obtain the loan two weeks ago.

    NAN

  • NGO tracking N500m UBEC projects in 32 Kaduna schools 

    A Non-Governmental Organization, the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All, (CSACEFA) said it has commenced investigation on N501.4 million Universal Basic Education Commission’s (UBEC) spending in 32 basic schools in Kaduna State.

    The organisation with the support of MacArthur Foundation said it would track the spending of the funds under the 2014 and 2015 UBEC intervention projects in three local government areas namely Lere, Jaba and Kaduna North.

    Mrs Ahanonu Odinakachi, CSACEFA’s Administration Officer, who stated this on Thursday in Kaduna at a Town Hall Meeting organised by the NGO to interact with relevant stakeholders in Kaduna North Local Government Area of the state said that the main goal of tracking UBEC projects in the state was to increase community’s voice in demanding for accountability to ensure efficient use of government’s resources.

    According to her, the Work Plan from UBEC, N186.6 million was allocated for various projects in 10 schools in Kaduna North, N165.4 for 11 schools in Jaba and N149.3 also for 11 schools in Lere LGAs.

    “Our mission is to engage the citizens on effective monitoring and tracking the utilisation of the funds in ensuring that every child have access to quality basic education.

    “This is crucial because the community members have stake in UBEC spending in their areas, hence the need to carry them along to ensure sustainability,” she said.

    She said that the meeting was organised to build a synergy for community accountability and transparency.

    “The meeting was organised to discuss issues around UBEC projects in the communities and build synergy among stakeholders for effective implementation of the projects.

    “This will create the needed common ground where community members and duty bearers can collaborate during implementation of UBE projects,” she said.

    Mr Taye Lukas, CSACEFA Secretary, Kaduna Office, said that the on-the-spot monitoring and assessment of projects revealed that in most cases, projects were undertaken in communities without the knowledge of community members.

    “We were at Jaba for a similar meeting on Tuesday and the community leaders confirmed that they are not being carried along in the implementation of the projects.

    “They equally confirmed our findings that most of the projects were poorly executed because of poor monitoring,” Lukas said.

    CSACEFA Coordinator in the state, Mrs. Theresa Biniyat, stressed the need for needs assessment before a project is decided to give community the chance to identify what they need.

    In the course of the meeting, Malam Umar Aliyu, the Education Secretary, Kaduna North LGA, also confirmed that he was not aware of most projects being executed in his area.

    Similarly, Jibril Abdullahi, the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) Chairman in the state, also said that the contractors often times move to site without consulting members of the community.

    Responding, Mrs. Esther Jibji, Principal Social Mobilisation Officer in the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), promised that the board would ensure that the contractors, community leaders and relevant stakeholders are carried along.

    Read Also: Kaduna secondary school teachers to write competence test soon – El-Rufai

  • Obaseki okays teachers’ promotion, clears three years backlog

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has approved the promotion of teachers in public primary schools in the state.

    The outstanding promotions approved by Governor Obaseki covers three years, from 2013, 2014 and 2015.

    Obaseki has also directed that promotion letters be issued to the affected teachers by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

    Acting Chairperson, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, said: “the details of the promotion letters are being finalised. A list of the teachers affected by the directive of the governor will be sent out to education secretaries in the Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) indicating teachers who have been promoted across the 18 local government areas.”

    Dr. Oviawe explained that, “Clearing the backlog of promotion for teachers speaks to the prevailing narrative that Governor Obaseki cares about the welfare and wellbeing of teachers in the state.

    “The governor’s directive has further demonstrated his commitment beyond mere rhetoric. He has continued to display maximum support to provide conducive environment for effective teaching and learning.”

    Noting that lifting the ban on the promotion of teachers in primary schools is significant, she added, “This will enable the state government achieve the objectives of Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST).”

    Read Also: Be prudent with funds, Obaseki tells LG chairmen

  • UNICEF wants CMAM to cover all LGAs in Gombe

    UNICEF wants CMAM to cover all LGAs in Gombe

    The United Nations Children Fund ( UNICEF ), Bauchi Field Office, on Monday urged the Gombe State Government to expand the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition ( CMAM ) to cover all local government areas.

    Mr Drissa Yeo, Officer-In-Charge, UNICEF Nigeria Bauchi Field Office, made the appeal in Gombe at a two-day states’ engagement plan development meeting for Gombe, Jigawa, Taraba, Plateau and Bauchi states.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that UNICEF defines Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) as a proven approach to manage Severe Acute Malnutrition and Moderate Acute Malnutrition in children under five.

    The approach is presently implemented in more than 70 countries of the World.
    Presently, CMAM is being implemented in only three out of the 11 local government areas in the state; namely Gombe, Dukku and Nafada.

    “I am appealing to the Gombe Government to direct expansion of implementation of the CMAM programme from three to 11 local government areas or to at least three additional LGAs,’’ Yeo said.

    The official also called on the state government to release its counterpart fund of N248 million to support nutrition in the state.

    He said the state government should look at the possibility of releasing N10 million for the 2017/2018 annual school census and maintenance of education management information servers.

    The money, according to Yeo, is also for maintenance of facilities in the state Ministry of Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ).

    He said that this was the first joint planning meeting in the state since the Federal Government and UNICEF started a new five-year programme, which is to be implemented from 2018 to 2022.

    Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr James Pisagih, said the purpose of the meeting was to enable UNICEF and other stakeholders take strategic decisions.

    Pisagih, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Duties, Alhaji Usman Shamaki, said their decisions would guide effective implementation of the new country engagement plan.

    “I therefore commend the UNICEF for its commitments in this regard,” he said.

    Pisagih however called on UNICEF, which had withdrawn its support for HIV intervention in the state, to reconsider its stance.

    He said that its support would facilitate total eradication of the scourge in the state.

    NAN

  • Edo kick-starts basic education reform, retrains teachers

    Edo kick-starts basic education reform, retrains teachers

    The Edo State Government has commenced the reform of the basic education sector with the ongoing schools census exercise which will provide credible and reliable data for planning while the inspectorate department is being revamped.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education and Sole Administrator, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Oviawe, disclosed this in a chat with journalists at the Government House, Benin City.

    She said Governor Godwin Obaseki is keen on teacher professional development and data-driven decision-making, which was what inspired the school census being carried out in the state, noting, “We don’t just do things randomly. We have started taking a census of schools. We want to know the number of schools, pupils, and teachers in the state. After this, we will then know which subject area to focus our recruitment efforts.”

    Oviawe maintained that a key part of the exercise is population mapping, and added, “We need to know the number of people that are enrolled in the schools. If you visit some of the schools within Benin metropolis and across the state, you will find out that there are schools with less than 100 pupils. With that, you can determine which school is viable or not.

    “It is possible that there are schools in the area that are not populated. We may need to close them down and open others in highly populated areas. But in order to do that and avoid any form of unfounded allegation of impropriety, we have to know the number of children and how they are dispersed.”

    She said the state government was bringing back what worked in the state in the past and adding modern techniques and reform that would bequeath children the best of learning experience.

    Stressing that the state government was keen on monitoring private school operators, she said, “We are strengthening regulation. The Inspectorate arm of the education ministry is being strengthened to deliver its mandate. We are building a strong monitoring and evaluation system at the basic education level.

    “It is not about catching people doing the wrong thing. It is about adopting preventive measures and providing constant professional development training so that the teachers can perform better,” Oviawe said.

    She explained that the state was keen on reversing the rot in the basic education system, adding, “There is a rapid decline in our public education system. All these didn’t start today; it has been a long time coming. Some have argued that it started in the era of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in the 1980s when government was advised to cut-back on its spending on social welfare including education. That is what we are starting to tackle now. We want to bring back quality into our basic education system.”

    She noted that Governor Obaseki has brought accountability to the system, stressing, “We have a 48-hour deadline to respond to files here. And this happens across different ministries in the state. So, we are being held accountable when things don’t go well.”