The Nation Newspaper

Tag: State Universal Basic Education Board

  • Car, motorcycle for teachers, cleaner

    Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has rewarded two outstanding primary school teachers and a cleaner with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who found N700,000 and returned it with a new Golf 4 car and two motorcycles for their honesty and dedication to duty.

    Ganduje, who made the presentation during the ongoing Second Kano Basic Education Week, at the Government House, said the recognition of performing primary school teachers was part of his administration’s priority to quality education.

    The beneficiaries included Malam Musa Auwalu Gwarzo, Head Teacher, Gwarzo Model Primary school, who got the car, and Garba Shehu Sule, an MSc holder and teacher at Toranke Primary School, Ajingi Local Government Area, who got a motorcycle.

    The third beneficiary, Malam Ado Messenger, a cleaner with State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) office, who found N700,000 and returned it, got the second motorcycle.

    Ganduje said his government pays N550 million to primary school teachers monthly after clearing the backlog of teachers’ promotion arrears.

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

    The Kano SUBEB also recognised some teachers and members of staff in various categories during week.

    Chairman, Kano SUBEB, Alhaji Zakari Bagwai, said the award was initiated to motivate teachers to be committed.

    He said the programme tagged: “Education, Basic Community Responsibility”, was organised to underscore the achievements and challenges confronting the basic education sector in the state.

  • Katsina releases N400m for S-Power employees’ stipends

    The Katsina State government has released N400 million for the payment of monthly stipends to 5,000 youths engaged in the newly introduced state-power programme tagged “S-Power”.

    The youths engaged in the programme, mostly holders of Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE) and Diploma in Education certificates, have been deployed to primary schools to reduce manpower shortage there.

    Gov Aminu Masari, while inaugurating the programme in July 2018, had said that it was aimed at reducing redundancy and indolence among youths.

    Malam Lawal Buhari, Executive Chairman, Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who spoke on the scheme in an interview with the Agency on Friday in Daura, said that the participants would be paid the four months stipend they were owed.

    Read Also: Fed Govt to rehabilitate Kastina roads

    “Each of the participants will receive N80,000 for the four months; the monthly stipend is N20,000 as indicated in their letters of engagement,” he said.

    He explained that payment would be at selected local education authority offices,  adding that the 34 local governments had been divided into 12 centres for that purpose.

    Buhari said that the state government had approved the engagement of additional 2,000 degree holders into the programme, to complement the teaching manpower in senior secondary schools.

    “Those in that category will be supervised by the ministry of education,” he said, adding that the recruitment exercise would soon begin.

    NAN

  • Chairman urges support of girl child education in Katsina

    The Executive chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Katsina state branch, Alhaji Lawal Buhari has called on the women folks in the state to embrace the spirit of ensuring that their children, particularly the girls, were enrolled in schools.

    The Chairman was represented by the Director Planning, Research and Statistics of the Board, Alh Isah Musa Kankara made the call while monitoring the conduct of 2 day training of mothers Association in Batsari Local Government Area, among the 3 Focus Local Government Areas of ‘’G4G’’, organized by the board in collaboration with UNICEF,

    Buhari further argued that it is the right of parents to provide basic education for their children, and ensuring that the females amongst their children attend school rather than sending them out to hawk on the streets

    The Executive Chairman then implored them to continue to cooperate and support the programmes and policies of the state government especially in its efforts at restoring the lost glory of the Education sector.

    Read Also: Katsina disburses N1, 727b to schools

    Earlier, the Desk officer of the programme, Hajiya Maijidda Kaikai revealed that 1,250 women were participating in the training in 50 schools across the 3 Focus local government areas of Batsari, Kankia and Kankara. She also noted that the training was aimed at showcasing the importance of Girl- Child Education, especially in their enrollment, retention, completion and transition from one level of education to another

    The Nation recalled that recent statistics released by the United Nations Children’s Education Fund, UNICEF, survey on the current campaign on Girl-Child Education in Katsina state, had shown a remarkable improvement in enrolment, thanks to the aggressive efforts of the current administration under Governor Aminu Bello Masari and the complimentary role of traditional rulers and parents

  • Sacked Kaduna teachers must reapply – NUT, Commissioner

    Sacked Kaduna teachers must reapply – NUT, Commissioner

    The Kaduna State Wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers ( NUT ) says the 21,780 primary school teachers sacked by Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i should reapply.

    The state NUT Chairman, Audu Amba, told reporters in Kaduna on Friday that the affected teachers would “reapply, sit for another examination and if passed, they will be reinstated to their previous positions.’’

    The teachers were sacked for allegedly failing a competency test held in June 2017.

    Amba said Gov. El-Rufa’i had directed the State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ) to open a window for the sacked teachers in its continuous recruitment programme.

    According to him, it is a new window of opportunity for the affected teachers to be reinstated.

    “We therefore, consider this as an achievement to our struggle, and collectively agreed to call off the strike.

    “We are not against any examination to determine the quality and competency of teachers; our problem is the modalities and the processes that the test in question was conducted.

    “What is agreed is that when writing the examination, the affected teachers would be required to indicate their scores in the controversial competency test of June 2017.

    “Therefore, if our teachers would be given another opportunity to sit for another examination and be reinstated, I feel it’s something we could work on to ensure that larger percentage of the affected teachers got their jobs back.’’

    He said that the affected teachers have been directed to await announcement by SUBEB on a date for another recruitment exercise for them to reapply.

    Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Ja’afaru Sani, said that 10, 000 of the affected sacked teachers had re-applied.

    He said that although the sack order remained, the government would consider those that reapplied if they pass the tests to be conducted for them later.

    On whether the teachers would be reinstated to their previous positions, the commissioner said the Head of Service would determine that based on civil service rules.

    “Notwithstanding, about 10,000 of them reapplied and if they pass, they would be reemployed.

    “The new window is particularly for the remaining 11,780 who did not reapply to do so and would be given priority.’’

    The commissioner said that other issues raised by the NUT including welfare, promotion and salary arrears would be looked into.

    According to him, the state government will soon come out with a plan to address teachers’ professionalism and welfare.

    NAN reports that most public primary schools have no teachers since the sack of the 21, 780 teachers by the state government.

    Sani acknowledge the problem, adding that SUBEB has been directed to redeploy teachers to such schools pending when the new set of teachers would be recruited and posted.

    “In the next couple weeks, the first set of teachers, about 10,000 of them would be recruited and posted to the worst hit schools with few or no teachers following the sack exercise.

    “Also, retired teachers and other professional teachers with time to spare have indicated interest to voluntarily teach the pupils until teachers are recruited to fill the gap,’’ the commissioner said.

    However, reporters reliably gathered that only 4,000 out of the more than 43,000 applicants who sat for the recently conducted aptitude test for new teachers scored 75 per cent and above.

    NAN

  • Kaduna SUBEB to spend N337.19m on teacher training in 2018

    Kaduna SUBEB to spend N337.19m on teacher training in 2018

    Amidst crisis over the quality of teachers in public schools, Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ) plans to spend N337.19 million on teacher training in 2018.

    The figure is contained in the state’s 2018 budget obtained from the state Planning and Budget Commission.

    The state has recently sacked about 22, 000 primary school teachers over poor performance, generating protest and strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers.

    It indicated that, “N337.19 million was earmarked for leadership and capacity training for school head teachers and assistants; jolly phonics training for 1,200 teachers and training of 200 Almajiri school teachers on literacy and numeracy skills.

    “Others are training on use of Teachers Guide; training of 230 care givers on pre-primary curriculum; training of class teachers on reading methodology and post training impact survey.

    Read also: Kwara SUBEB to upgrade 70-year old school

    “70 associate counsellors from the 23 local government areas will be trained on strategies for effective counselling skills in basic education; and training of 100 quality assurance evaluators.

    “Other training includes evaluators and principals workshop on evaluating and student learning; evaluating and tracking student; workshop on coordination, monitoring and reporting and impact assessment on training of inclusive education teachers on Braille and sign language.”

    The board has a total budget of N6.93 billion out of which N6.75 billion was for capital N184.52 million for recurrent expenditure.

    This represents 100 per cent increase from the N3.36 billion allocated to the board for capital and recurrent expenditure in the 2017 budget.

    A breakdown of the figure shows that N3.53 billion would be spent on the construction of classrooms, offices and toilets for primary schools, while N1.89 billion was for building classrooms and laboratories in junior secondary schools.

    The board would also spend N15.1 million on the construction of Early Child Care Development Education games village in nine primary schools in nine local government areas.

    It indicated that N821.27 million would go into procurement of furniture, materials for skills acquisition, teaching and learning aids, computers, magnetic boards, mattresses, sporting and instructional materials.

    “N143.58 million was allocated for monitoring and supervision of projects, while N13.06 million was for maintenance of project monitoring vehicles.”

    The state would receive the 2016 Universal Basic Education Commission ( UBEC ) Special Education Intervention fund amounting to N6.38 billion during the year.

    It would also receive N340.87 from UBEC Intervention on Teachers’ Professional Development and N32.72 million from the Inclusive Education Trust Fund.

    NAN

  • Kaduna to execute N33bn capital projects in 2018

    Kaduna to execute N33bn capital projects in 2018

    The Kaduna State Government plans to spend N33 billion on capital projects in the education sector in 2018.

    This figure is contained in the state’s 2018 budget obtained from state Planning and Budget Commission.

    The document indicated that the amount was however lower than the N44.8 billion budgeted for the sector in 2017.

    A breakdown of the figure shows that N20 billion would go to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and N13 billion to State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ) and tertiary institutions.

    The ministry is expected to spend N6.3 billion on school feeding programme in public primary schools, Islamiyya, and Quranic schools, as well as the 31 boarding secondary schools in the state.

    The N6.3 billion was less than the N14.7 billion allocated to the programme in 2017.

    According to the document, primary and secondary school rebuilding and equipping programme would gulp N5 billion, while the Global Partnership for Education was allocated N1.9 billion as against N2 billion in 2017.

    The document indicated also that the education ministry in partnership with Islamic Development Bank (IDB) would spend N761.7 million on the construction of six science secondary schools in the state.

    Also in the document, N1 billion would be spent on supply of furniture in secondary schools across the state and N511 million on the provision of school uniforms.

    Read also: Teachers’ strike will not stop education reform – Kaduna Govt.

    “N377 million was earmarked for teacher development programme, a joint project with United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID).

    “Procurement of science equipment will cost N177.8 million, N400 million for procurement of books, and N2.3 billion for fencing of government-owned facilities.

    “N138 million was allocated for the construction of computer laboratories and supply of 20 desktop computers each to 50 secondary schools.

    “N50.2 million was set aside for development of three Computer Based Test centres, one each in the three senatorial districts,’’ the document added.

    According to the document, N50 million will be spent on the supply and installation of LGP tanks, burners, and industrial boiling pans in 29 boarding secondary schools.

    It also indicated that N14 million was allocated for the construction and equipping of a multipurpose workshop at the headquarters of the education ministry.

    “N65.5 million was allocated for development of web portal for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services and multi media/video conference centre.

    “Development of scientific glass technology got N2.5 million; while technology-based school management solution services got N120 million.’’

    For tertiary institutions, the budget provided N2.1 billion to Kaduna  State University (KASU); N1.5 billion to College of Education, Gidan Waya; N670 million to Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria and N110 million to College of Midwifery, Kaduna.

    Other capital allocations include N113 million to Shehu Idris College of Health and Science Technology and N182 million to the State College of Nursing and Midwifery.

    NAN

  • Plateau constructs model primary schools

    Plateau constructs model primary schools

    Plateau State Government will construct a model primary school in each of the 17 Local Government Areas of the state to reposition basic education, an official said on Tuesday.

    Read also: Plateau Police Command arrests 304 suspects over various crimes

    “It is to facilitate access to quality education at the grassroots”, Prof. Mathew Sule, Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.

    He further added that the schools would serve as models operating and maintaining the ideals, values and enduring legacies of secondary education and admitting students will be based strictly on merit.

    The executive chairman said that the four model Girls Junior Secondary Schools already constructed and furnished by the Universal Basic Education Commission had commenced academic activities since October 2016.

    Read also: Plateau gets $1.5m for Save One Million Lives programme

    “The Junior Girls Model Secondary Schools are in Kanam, Mikang, Bassa and Barkin-Ladi LGAs,” he said.

    Sule confirmed that the board in collaboration with Federal Government has implemented the Home Grown Feeding Programme for children in primary one to three across the state.

    “The School Feeding Programme is meant to feed more than 200, 000 children in Plateau; it has engaged more than four thousand food vendors, thus creating job opportunities.

    “The board also developed and deployed a Central Unified General School Time Table for use in all the public primary schools with timeline for continuous assessment, examinations and midterm break,” he said.

    The executive chairman explained that aside from enhancing uniformity among schools, the time table would also provide for effective monitoring and for assessing teachers and pupils’ performance.

    “2,500 scroll-up school time tables were distributed to primary schools across 17 LGAs and 16,700 laminated timetables distributed for use in their classes,” he added.

  • Princess Oladunni Odu bounces back

    Like the prodigal son retracing his steps back home after years of sojourn in an unknown land, Princess Oladunni Odu has returned to her rightful place on the social scene. The one-time chairperson of the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) had gone off the social radar after her principal, the late Olusegun Agagu, was swept out of office by the storm that heralded the ascension of the immediate past governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko.

    During her heyday as an Agagu loyalist, Oladunni bestrode the social scene like a colossus. As one of the few who had the governor’s ears, she became the deity through whom access to the governor was secured. But all that was before the Hurricane Mimiko swept her and her acolytes way from the stage.

    But like a balloon refilled with air after it was deflated, she has now bounced back on the social scene. She was recently named as one of the new special assistants to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. With a high-profile job once again in her kitty, Princess Oladunni is getting ready to take the Ondo social scene by storm once again.