The Nation Newspaper

Tag: State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)

  • Court reserve ruling on ex-SUBEB officials trial

    Court reserve ruling on ex-SUBEB officials trial

    Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele of an Edo High Court Criminal Division on Monday reserved ruling on the bail application filed by the State woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Aisosa Amadasun, immediate past chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Stephen Alao and three other former board members.

    The former SUBEB officials were being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N1.5 billion contract scam.

    They were last week arraigned on a 50-count charge bothering on corruptly enriched themselves with various sum of money from the bulk sale of their own share of SUBEB contracts, an offense punishable under section26 (1) and other relevant sections of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act of 2000.

    At the hearing of the bail application yesterday, counsel to the accused persons including Igbafen Momodu Ohio, Ivie Fidelis Elema and Charity Aiguobarueghian in their separate submissions averred that the offences in which the accused are being tried are not capital punishment.

    They urged the court to grant the persons bail on self-recognition since the prosecuting counsel did not file counter-affidavit to oppose the bail.

    Counsel to the EFCC, Harrison Ibekwute, said there were substantive evidence before the court and that filing of counter-affidavit was unnecessary.

    Justice Ovbiagele however adjourned ruling to October 13, 2017

  • Plateau recruits 5,253 teachers to enhance quality education

    Plateau recruits 5,253 teachers to enhance quality education

    The Plateau Government on Thursday said it had recruited 5,253 ad hoc teachers as part of efforts to address shortage of teachers in the state.

    The Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ), Prof Mathew Sule, disclosed this while fielding questions in Jos.

    Sule said the state government had also trained more than 700 teachers to enhance their capacity and to provide quality education.

    The chairman said the deficit and quality of teachers in public primary and Junior Secondary schools had been a major concern to the government.

    “We visited some primary schools and discovered that many of the pupils in the senior classes cannot read or write.

    “As part of efforts to address the situation, SUBEB organised a three-day training in March on ‘Jolly phonics’ for 700 teachers across the state,” he said.

    NAN

  • Katsina promotes 19,600 teachers

    Katsina promotes 19,600 teachers

    Katsina State Government says it has promoted 19,600 teachers as part of effort to enhance teachers’ welfare and boost education sector.

    Alhaji Lawal Buhari, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ), made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria NAN in Daura on Friday.

    He said the promotions were outstanding of 2013, 2014 and 2015.

    “We are now working on the 2016 and 2017 promotions,” he said.

    Buahri said out of the number, 13,000 teachers concerned had been notified, adding that other beneficiaries would soon receive notifications.

    The executive chairman also disclosed that government had commenced interview for the recruitment of additional 1,900 teachers, to complement the existing teacher strength.

    He said the exercise cut across the 34 local government areas, assuring that only qualified applicants would be considered for the job.

    According to him, the results of the interview would be released within week to ensure proper and timely deployment of successful recruits to schools.

    Buhari called on teachers to be committed to their duties with a view to motivating government toward enhancing their welfare.

    NAN reports that the state government recently procured teaching and learning materials worth N600 million, to promote education.

  • Nasarawa Assembly decries building of residential houses, shops on schools’ premises

    Nasarawa Assembly decries building of residential houses, shops on schools’ premises

    The Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Education has decried building of shops and residential houses in the premises of some primary schools in Keffi Local Government Area of the state.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Mr Daniel Ogazi (APC-Kokona East), made this known on Thursday while inspecting selected school projects in the local government area.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abdul-Zanga, Nurudeen and Islamiya primary schools, all in Keffi Local Government area were encroached by people building houses and shops on their land.

    Ogazi said that the building of shops and residential houses within the school premises constituted distraction, which had been affecting learning and teaching.

    He said that the committee would not hesitate to advice the appropriate authority to demolish such illegal structures within the school premises.

    The lawmaker therefore urged the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to adopt an effective supervision of all the ongoing school projects to ensure quality work by contractors.

    He said that the state legislature would reject any substandard building and roofing materials used by any contractor.

    Ogazi advised contractors handling such projects to ensure that do the work was done according to specification.

    “The committee will continue to embark on its oversight functions to ensure that quality work is done by contractors to justify government’s huge investment in the education sector.

    “We are not going to fold our hands and watch contractors or anybody to sabotage the efforts of government in improving the standard of education.

    “We will reject any substandard job in the interest of the education sector and the overall development of the state,’’ he said.

    The committee chairman reiterated the commitment of the legislators to the enactment of people-oriented laws that would fast track the development of the state.

    NAN reports that other schools inspected by the committee include Pilot Primary School, Shitu Alao Barracks, LGEA Primary School Gitata, and LGEA Sabo Gari, all in Keffi Local Government Area.

     

  • Obaseki orders investigation into N283 million Padded Exam Budget

    Obaseki orders investigation into N283 million Padded Exam Budget

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki has ordered the immediate investigation into the N283 million padded budget for the conduct of the First School Leaving Certificate Examination in the state.

    Obaseki vowed to unmask the officials who sent the N283 million request for the conduct of the recent primary school examination in the state, which was eventually conducted at the cost of N30 million.

    The governor issued the directive at the weekly Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday, in Benin.

    The State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr Paul Ohonbamu, made the disclosure while briefing journalists after the meeting.

    “A memo was sent to the governor for the conduct of the examination and N283 million was earmarked for the examination which eventually cost N30 million.

    “The governor is not comfortable with this. He has directed that those responsible for the disparity be identified and brought to book,” Ohonbamu said.

    He said  the meeting also reviewed the law setting up the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to keep pace with current realities in the basic education sub-sector.

    According to Ohonbamu, the Obaseki-led administration places high premium on basic education and is committed to reorganising it to deliver quality education to the state.

    The commissioner further said that the council agreed that the distribution of treated mosquito nets be flagged off in the state on Friday, and urged all Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants to ensure its success in their localities.

  • Bayelsa approves N2bn counterpart funds for SUBEB, SDG

    Bayelsa approves N2bn counterpart funds for SUBEB, SDG

    The Bayelsa Government says it has approved the release of N2billion counterpart funds to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the approval was given by State Executive Council at its 77th meeting at the government house in Yenagoa.

    Mr Jonathan Obuebite, the state’s Commissioner for Information, said shortly after the meeting that the release of the funds was in line with the government’s commitment to improving the standard of education and empowering youths in the area.

    “’SUBEB and SDGs will each get N1billion,” he said.

    Obuebite further said the approved sum as resolved in the executive council would take care of the state’s share of the counterpart funds and other developmental projects.

    “With the approval of N1billion, most of the on-going projects, especially at the primary education sector are expected to be completed.

    “Also with the sole aim of beautifying the Ox-bow Lake, Council also looked into the dredging activities at the Ox-bow Lake and has called on all owners of dredgers within that vicinity to immediately move out.

    “This is a follow up of the notice sent out by the ministry of environment to all operators within the environment.

    “Council announced the commencement of the fencing project that is billed to commence immediately at the Ox-bow Lake for security reasons,” Obuebite said.

    He further explained that the council agreed to encourage Bayelsa people to take advantage of the free boarding school facilities provided by the government with five of its kind already in session.

    According to him, in July, the sports academy in the state will become fully operational as directed by the governor.

    Reacting to the allegation by the Association of Local Government Employees that Bayelsa was the most indebted state to local council workers having failed to pay up to 16 months salary, Obuebite said the state owed only nine months.

    “No LGA is owing more than 9 months’ salary except Ogbia that is owing 10 months arrears.

    “But modalities are being worked out to off-set the backlog of salary arrears.

    “The said publication (allegation) lacks fact as the situation on ground is different,” he said.

  • Katsina LG establishes 37 nursery schools

    Katsina LG establishes 37 nursery schools

    Mai’adua Local Government Council in Katsina State has established 37 nursery schools in line with the national  policy which encourages establishment of Child Care Development Centres.

    Alhaji Usman Mai’adua, the local Education Secretary said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Mai’adua on Friday.

    He said the nursery centres, established in some selected public primary schools, have been fully furnished and equipped with relevant teaching and learning materials.

    The official said the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) would train additional 17 primary school teachers selected to serve as caregivers under the ECCD programme in the area.

    “They would be exposed to the methods of handling the programme,” the education secretary said.

    In a related development, Mai’adua has expressed delight with the rise in the enrolment figure into primary schools in the area this year.

    He attributed the feat to the support of School Based Management Committees, traditional rulers and the local government committee on enrollment.

    The education secretary put the total enrolment at 54,794 pupils in 75 primary schools.

    He disclosed that the renovation of 12 primary schools by SUBEB had also helped to create additional spaces to accommodate enrolment of more pupils.

    The scribe said that the local council was doing its best to cater for the welfare of teachers, adding that efforts were on to promote deserving teachers after the last promotion was done in 2014.

    Mai’adua local government area is located in the northern part of Katsina State and shares border with Niger Republic.

  • Bayelsa NUT threatens strike over 10 months salary arrears

    Bayelsa NUT threatens strike over 10 months salary arrears

    The Bayelsa chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), on Sunday threatened to commence a three-day warning strike from May 2, over unpaid nine-and-a-half months salary backlog.

    The NUT, in a communique signed by its Chairman, Mr Kala-Ama Tonpre and Secretary, Mr Johnson Hector, said the union took the decision after its Executive Council meeting held on Saturday in Yenagoa.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NUT in Bayelsa had embarked on a strike which shut public schools in Bayelsa for six weeks at the beginning of the 2016/2017 academic session in September 2016 over unpaid salaries.

    The union said it also resolved that the state government should urgently pay the salaries it owed primary school teachers to bring them at par with other civil servants in the state.

    The NUT also called on the government to take over the funding and management of primary education without attaching conditions to it.

    The union further asked the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Post Primary Schools Board to implement the 2013 and 2015 promotions and to conduct the 2016 exercise without delay.

    It appealed to the government to involve other banks in the payment of secondary school teachers’ salaries instead of giving the mandate to only the Sterling Bank.

    The union also urged the government to take care of the cost of bank transaction to reduce excess deductions on its members’ accounts.

    NUT implored the government to fill vacancies created by retired and deceased teachers by employing qualified personnel and government should also begin the payment of N18, 000 minimum wage arrears to teachers.

     

  • Bayelsa teachers threaten strike over unpaid salaries 

    Bayelsa teachers threaten strike over unpaid salaries 

    The Bayelsa State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Saturday, threatened to commence a three-day warning strike from May 2nd over unpaid nine and half month salaries.

    The NUT in a communique signed by its Chairman, Kala-Ama Tonpre and Secretary, Johnson Hector, said it took the decision after its Executive Council meeting.

    The union said it also resolved that the state government should urgently pay the monthly full salaries it owed primary school teachers to bring them at par with other civil servants in the state.

    NUT also called on the government to take over the funding and management of primary education without attaching conditions to it.

    The union further asked the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Post Primary Schools Board to implement the 2013 and 2015 promotions and to conduct the 2016 exercise without delay.

    It appealed to the government to involve other banks in the payment of secondary school teachers’ salaries instead of allowing only the Sterling bank to conduct the transactions.

    The union also urged the government to take care of the cost of bank transaction to reduce excess deductions on its members’ accounts.

    NUT implored the government to fill vacancies created by retired and deceased teachers by employing qualified personnel adding that government should begin the payment of N18,000 minimum wage arrears to teachers.

     

  • Taraba releases N1.8b to settle teachers’ salaries

    The Taraba State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Johannes Jigem, said on Wednesday that government had released N1.8 billion to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), to clear all outstanding salaries of teachers.

    Jigem disclosed this to newsmen following a peaceful protest by primary school pupils over the non-payment of their teachers’ salaries.

    The commissioner said that the ongoing verification exercise was responsible for the delay in the payment of the salaries.

    Jigem, however, said that the students protest was organised by some fake teachers, under the influence of some local politicians.

    He said all genuine teachers would soon be paid, after the conclusion of the ongoing verification exercise.

    NAN recalls that primary school teachers in the state had in February barricaded the state House of Assembly over the non-payment of their salaries.

    NAN also reports that Gov. Darius Ishaku, while presenting the 2017 budget, said payment of civil servants salaries was up-to-date in the state.

    Ishaku said that any worker who claimed that the government owed him any salary was not a ‘genuine’ civil servant.

    However, the State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Alhaji Aliyu Mafindi, recently told newsmen that the governor was only “playing to the gallery.”

    “That was a political statement because the state government had stopped paying teachers’ salaries since October 2016.

    “And even the few teachers they started paying, they have not completed the payment.

    “And of course there is the case of some workers whose names were wrongly captured in the list of teachers.

    “These people have also not been paid,” the chairman said.

    Meanwhile, the students were seen on major streets of Jalingo, with various placards on their hands.

    Some of the placards read: “Pay our teachers’ salaries” and other unprintable words.

    The pupils blocked the entrance of the Government House, Jalingo and caused gridlock at Union Bank and the Ministry of Works roundabouts.

    They also blocked UTC and Sabon-gari junctions, forcing motorists to seek for alternative roads.

    The leader of the pupils, Bashir Yakubu, said the protest, which he said would end on Friday, was to sympathise with their teachers, who he claimed, had not been paid for about eight months.

    Yakubu said the non-payment of salaries was frustrating the teachers and making them to become less-motivated in discharging their duties.
    He appealed to the state government to urgently pay the teachers their outstanding salaries before they stopped teaching completely.