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  • Why we sacked education consultant, by Edo SUBEB boss

    Why we sacked education consultant, by Edo SUBEB boss

    Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, Hon. Ebanehita Sonia Omonzane, has explained why the education consultant engaged before her appointment was sacked.

    Hon Ebanehita said the consultant refused her access to the contents developed to teaching pupils in public schools.

    She said she discovered that examples used to teach children were alien to Edo people culture.

    Speaking in an interview in Benin City, the Edo SUBEB boss stated that several meetings held with the consultant showed their contents were not in line with the Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration.

    Hon Ebanehita said Okpebholo has paid the UBEC counterpart funding and that plans were to renovate 100 public primary schools across the state.

    She, however, expressed worry over activities of vandals in the public schools.

    According to her, “I met a consultant who was running affairs of the board. I tried to look into what they have done so far. At leat, let me see wat they have done or what they are really working on.

    “I was told I don’t have access or right to view what they are teaching because of the agreement they had. It is only them that have right to their contents. I had several meetings with them but the meeting did not go well with our vision for Edo children. I had to disengage them.

    “We want all Edo children to have quality education when it comes to learning but sometimes when you are giving back to the society you should be able to know the culture and the society you are working with.

    Read Also: Edo SUBEB boss gifts UNIBEN best graduate N1m

    “I learnt that examples they were using wasn’t from our own culture. It was a different culture from Kenya. We were able to disengage them. We have to set up our team. We have to work with the Edos. We have to use Edo to teach the Edo children. We have many intelligent people in our system that we are using now.”

    On the issue of vandalization of public schools, Hon Ebanehita said the plan was to deploy security personnel to the schools.

    “We are looking out to renovate 100 schools. Monday Okpebholo is the first Governor to declare a state of emergency in education. We have a lot of renovation to do.

    “We have a bigger challenge of vandalization that is on in all our schools but the Governor is working on improving security in the schools. With that we will have better security in our schools. You will see the difference within a short time.”

  • Alia suspends SUBEB boss, others

    Alia suspends SUBEB boss, others

    Benue Governor Hyacinth  Alia has suspended the Chairman State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Dr.Grace Adagba.

    He suspended Adagba with the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government area Maxwell Ogiri and the State  Secretary of the Lottery Board Micheal for a person of one month.

    According to a statement by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula,the resolution is in line with the resolution of the Benue Assembly .

    ” Governor Alia has  upheld the resolutions of the Benue State House the of Assembly conveyed to his office regarding the suspension of some public officials.

    ” In line with the resolutions passed by the House, His Excellency affirms the  suspension of the Executive Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Mr. Maxwell Ogiri, for a period of one month, effective from today.

    “The suspension of the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Grace Adagba, for a period of one month, and that of  the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Lottery Commission, Mr. Michael Uper

    “All the suspension is for a period of one month begining from  Wednesday.

    Read Also: Tinubu, Alia, others felicitate Babangida at 84

    “Governor Alia reiterates his unwavering commitment to the rule of law, due process, and the principles of separation of powers.

    “He commended  the House of Assembly for exercising its constitutional responsibilities and assures the people of Benue State that his administration remained  dedicated to transparency, accountability, and good governance.

    “The Governor urged all affected institutions to ensure seamless continuity of service delivery during this period and calls on the people of Benue State to continue to support the government’s efforts towards building a state that works for all.”

    The Benue Assembly has declined the screening of commissioners nominees untill their  resolutions are complied .

  • Makinde’s policies improving basic education in Oyo — SUBEB chairman

    Makinde’s policies improving basic education in Oyo — SUBEB chairman

    Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran, has credited Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration with significantly reducing infrastructure deficits and improving the quality of basic education across the state.

    Speaking at the Omituntun 2.0 Inter-Ministerial Briefing held at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, Adeniran highlighted the administration’s strides in enhancing education at the primary and junior secondary levels since 2019.

    He noted that the government’s prompt payment of counterpart funds to UBEC from 2019 to 2021 enabled SUBEB to undertake various developmental projects, including the construction of 289 classroom blocks, 60 model schools, renovation of 229 classrooms, and procurement of thousands of desks, teachers’ furniture, digital devices, and motorcycles.

    According to him, over 13,800 teaching and non-teaching staff members have been trained, leading to a notable improvement in education delivery and increased enrollment in public schools. He added that many parents have withdrawn their children from private schools due to the improved standards in public schools.

    Adeniran also commended the administration for tackling the issue of out-of-school children, revealing that approximately 60,000 children have been returned to classrooms under the current government’s efforts.

    “There is no gainsaying that the vision of the Governor Seyi Makinde administration on the Basic Education sub-sector to have a very negligible number of out-of-school children in the state, is gaining momentum on a daily basis,” he said.

    Speaking on how the government’s efforts have improved education during Omituntun 2.0, Dr Adeniran stated that “the state government has also graciously paid the counterpart funds for 2022 and 2023 to complement the released matching grants from the Federal Government through UBEC for the two years, which amounted to the sum of N2,600,237,314.29 only.”

    He explained that the Board has got approval to execute projects in public basic schools across the 33 Local Government Areas of the state, including construction of 41 blocks of classrooms, seven perimeter fences, 30 boreholes, procurement of 5,828 pupils’ desks and benches, 473 teachers’ tables and chairs, 910 sports equipment as well as the renovation of 60 blocks of classrooms.

    The SUBEB chairman added that apart from the SUBEB interventions, the state would also embark on another massive construction/renovation of classrooms through a reward fund it got for its involvement in the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) Programme, which sought to reduce out-of-school children.

    He said, “All the states that benefited in the BESDA Programme were rewarded with funds and His Excellency, the Executive Governor, Seyi Makinde, decided and insisted that the reward should be utilised for the provision of infrastructure in public primary schools in the state.

    “To this end, the Board has rolled out infrastructural projects which will soon be executed in the public primary schools in all the thirty-three (33) Local Government Areas of the State, and this will go a long way to improve both infrastructure and academic activities of these benefiting schools.”

    Adeniran said these projects would include the construction of 28 blocks of classrooms, renovation of 29 blocks of classrooms, construction of a 4-compartment toilet with deep-well, sinking of 16 boreholes with tanks and tank-stands and the procurement of 2,922 desks and benches and 182 teachers’ tables and chairs.

    Adeniran also noted that the administration recruited 5,600 teachers and 80 caregivers to address the shortage of teachers in the 2,508 public primary schools in the state, saying, “I wish to reiterate that the recruitment has gone a long way to improve the learning outcome in all the public primary schools across the state through academic performances and other extra-curricular activities.”

    He maintained that the recruitment of new teachers has led to improved standards of education, saying “the situation is changing because we have newly-recruited teachers that have better orientation, that dress very well, that are more accustomed to the digital world, and so on and so forth.”

    He added that the government has also introduced different policies to improve teaching and learning, training and capacity-building for teachers and other sorts of training.

    Fielding questions from newsmen, Dr Adeniran said that the issue of infrastructure deficit in the education sector has been quite worrisome, but the government of Engr. Makinde has been making efforts to address the issue, a development which he noted has led to a massive reduction in the deficit.

    He noted that some other efforts have also been lined up towards further reducing the education infrastructure deficit, saying, “When Engr. Makinde became the governor, and we were talking about the infrastructure deficit in education. So, we all agreed that we had to deal with it. The governor thinks that the peanuts that we pay as cash-off funds are not going anywhere.

    Read Also: Makinde felicitates Alaafin at 50, says monarch will usher in Oyo’s golden era

    “I have mentioned all the schools that SUBEB did. If you provide a book of the schools we have done, you say, ah, this governor has tried. But if you go out and see some dilapidated structures, you will say, what is this governor doing? When you consider the number I have given and if you remember that we have 2,506 schools, then it is an issue that will continue to recur.

    “In the real sense of it, we have done very well, because if other governments had been fixing this number of schools, the situation would have changed.

    “If you want to look at the pace of the UBEC/SUBEB, it won’t go anywhere. So, at the end of the day, our government decided to take a decisive step, and that was the reason the government established the office of the Special Adviser on Education Intervention, which is saddled with special intervention in education. AT UBEC/SUBEB, we will also continue with our own regular interventions.

    “At present, a lot of work is going on in the area of special intervention. Before you know it, a lot of things are going to be fixed, because the government intends to approve N10 billion on a yearly basis for special intervention on education infrastructure. If that is done on a yearly basis, by 2027, we would have had a successful result.”

  • SUBEB boss uncovers diversion of school furniture in Nasarawa 

    SUBEB boss uncovers diversion of school furniture in Nasarawa 

    …orders redeployment of 1,300 admin staff

    The newly appointed Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Dr. Kassim Muhammad Kassim, has revealed widespread diversion of government-provided school furniture by education secretaries and headteachers across the state.

    Dr. Kassim disclosed that furniture meant for public primary schools is being illegally diverted and sold to private schools and even private homes for monetary gain. 

    He expressed dismay that while pupils in public schools are forced to sit on bare floors, officials entrusted with managing education in the state are profiting from the misappropriation of essential learning materials.

    “It is unacceptable for our children to sit on the floor in classrooms while education secretaries and headmasters divert government-supplied furniture to private schools and homes. I have visited several schools myself and seen this firsthand, despite records showing that furniture had been delivered to them. I will not tolerate this under my watch,” he stated.

    To address the issue, Dr. Kassim announced that he would collaborate with the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations to inspect suspected private schools and residences. 

    He said that any location found with NSUBEB-branded furniture will be investigated, and those in possession will be compelled to reveal their suppliers.

    During a meeting held on Wednesday in his office with education secretaries from all 13 local government areas and 18 development areas in the state, the chairman further disclosed that investigations have already uncovered NSUBEB furniture in private residences. 

    He has since ordered the arrest and detention of individuals found with such items to determine how they obtained them.

    Read Also: SUBEB chair pays unscheduled visit to Nasarawa schools

    In a major administrative shake-up, Dr. Kassim also directed the immediate redeployment of 1,300 administrative staff out of the 3,422 currently serving across the state. 

    He instructed that all administrative personnel with teaching qualifications be returned to classrooms, especially in rural areas suffering from severe teacher shortages.

    “There’s no justification for the government to be short of teachers while qualified personnel are stockpiled in administrative roles,” he said. “We cannot have an army of supervisors when rural schools lack even a single teacher. What exactly are they supervising?”

    The NSUBEB chairman emphasized that his administration would not condone inefficiency or mismanagement and vowed to restore integrity and functionality to the state’s basic education system.

    On recruitment, the chairman explained that he has received approval from the Governor to recruit 4,800 qualified teachers in the primary schools, and revealed that his recruitment is tagged “Recruitment of Teachers in Rural Areas”. 

    He said that those applying should be prepared to go to the rural areas, adding that no single teacher newly recruited will be posted to urban areas, noting that his agenda is to revive rural schools and make it attractive to parents of boat communities to send their children.

    Dr Kassim told the education secretaries that it’s not going to be business as usual, and that the board under him will focus on rural schools to ensure that they are well equipped.

    He explained further that no education secretary should made illegal deductions of their teachers salaries except on disciplinary grounds which the board must be aware, adding the the salaries of teachers are not much and illegal and unnecessary deductions should stop immediately and any ES who disobey this order will his/her self to blame.

    The new NSUBEB boss said he was appointed by the Governor to change the narrative in the education sub-sector and he is more than determined to achieve his mandate even if it means stepping on people’s toes.

    Dr Kassim also directed the ES not to allocate any school land to small business ventures except with the permission of the board, adding that some people have started claiming school lands on that basis.

    He promised to create maintenance unit in each local government to protect and safeguard SUBEB properties, vowing to revoked any contract poorly done or have that contractors money withheld until a standard work is done

     “We can’t renovate a particular school this year and get same structures renovated next year, it’s means something is wrong with the work done by the first contractor, we can’t pay any contractor until we are fully satisfied with the quality of work”. Dr Kassim said 

  • SUBEB chair pays unscheduled visit to Nasarawa schools

    SUBEB chair pays unscheduled visit to Nasarawa schools

    The newly appointed Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Dr. Kassim Muh’d Kassim, has expressed satisfaction with the quality of teaching and learning in primary and junior secondary schools across the state.

    Dr. Kassim made the remarks during an unscheduled inspection of five primary schools and three school-based cluster training centres for teachers and headteachers.

    The visit, he said, was aimed at ensuring full compliance with NSUBEB’s teaching and operational guidelines.

    Among the schools visited were St. Williams Primary School, Lafia, Isiaka Islamiya Primary School, Lafia, CMC Trans Nursery and Primary School, Gudi in Akwanga LGA, Akwanga Central Primary School, and Islamiya Transfer Primary School in Nasarawa Eggon.

    Accompanied by board members and senior directors, the SUBEB chairman interacted with teachers and reviewed their lesson plans and notes. He sat in on ongoing classes and commended the dedication and competence of the teachers.

    “The main goal of this visit is to ensure compliance with teaching standards and to monitor the training of our teachers. That is why we are visiting these centres,” Dr. Kassim stated.

    Read Also: Ahmed’s trial: SUBEB didn’t award contract in 2014, 2015, witness tells court

    At the CMC Transfer Nursery and Primary School in Gudi, where a teacher training session was ongoing, the chairman was particularly impressed with one participant, Mrs. Christopher Funhazon Victoria, and rewarded her with a N20,000 cash gift for her outstanding performance.

    He also urged local communities to take ownership of schools within their areas by safeguarding infrastructure for the benefit of future generations.

    While inspecting some damaged school buildings, Dr. Kassim assured that contractors would be mobilised to carry out immediate repairs, especially on structures affected by recent rainstorms.

  • Ahmed’s trial: SUBEB didn’t award contract in 2014, 2015, witness tells court

    Ahmed’s trial: SUBEB didn’t award contract in 2014, 2015, witness tells court

    Trial of former Kwara State governor, AbdulFatah Ahmed, and his finance commissioner, Demola Banu, for alleged diversion of N5.78 billion Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) fund, continued yesterday at the state High Court, Ilorin.

    Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the two of them before the court.

    The duo had pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

    Although the state paid its counterpart fund, otherwise known as marching grants of N952 million and N869 million to the Skye Bank designated account in 2014 and 2015, the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) did not give out any contract.

    The third witness called by the EFCC in the case, Abdulsalam Olanrewaju, an engineer, told the court that UBEC approved the 2014 and 2015 action plan presented to it by Kwara State SUBEB, saying the contractors that handled the 2013 projects were eventually paid their money after they had protested delay in payment.

    Counsel for EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, led the third witness in evidence in court.

    Read Also: 2027: The game has commenced

    Olanrewaju, project manager of SUBEB between 1998 and 2017, said he was in charge of the infrastructure needs of public primary and junior secondary schools in the state.

    “I became the director of Physical Planning in 2018. And my duty is to do the condition survey of schools as well as the population of students. I don’t know anything about administration.

    UBEC monitoring team from Abuja came to supervise the extent of job done by the contractors in 2013 and they were satisfied. The job done was beyond expectation,” he added.

    During cross-examination by ex-Governor Ahmed’s counsel, Mumuni Jimoh (SAN), the civil engineer said signatories to SUBEB’s account were the accountant, permanent secretary and executive chairman of the board.

    The second witness, Dr Musa Dasuki, told the court that marching grants from UBEC and SUBEB could not be used for any other purpose than for the infrastructural needs of primary and junior secondary schools to ensure ‘every child counts.’

    During cross-examination by Banu’s counsel, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Dr Dasuki said: “It is wrongful to give out the board’s funds as loans to anybody. Marching grants cannot be used for any other purpose. SUBEB is like a parastatal with executive chair, secretary and other permanent members.”

    He hinted that no board meeting was held before giving out SUBEB funds to the then Kwara State Government between 2013 and 2016.

    Presiding judge, Mahmud Abdulgafar, adjourned the case till April 10 and 11 for continuation of hearing.

  • Benue SUBEB seeks UBEC support

    Benue SUBEB seeks UBEC support

    The Executive Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Grace Adagba, has sought collaboration between the state and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to transform basic education.

    Adagba made the appeal when she visited the UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, in Abuja.

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    She emphasised the commitment of Benue State Governor, Rev. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, to revitalising basic education and appealed for UBEC’s intervention in key areas.

    The UBEC Executive Secretary praised Adagba’s presentation and reaffirmed UBEC’s commitment to supporting the state’s basic education sector.

  • Concerns as Fed Govt raises SUBEB matching grants to N3.5b

    Concerns as Fed Govt raises SUBEB matching grants to N3.5b

    The quest to deliver quality basic education as well as address the challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria required stakeholders to join forces together to achieve. But there are concerns that N45.7 billion in funds allocated for the implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) between 2020 and 2023 was not accessed. Despite this, the government recently approved an upward review of the matching grants of state governments for infrastructural projects under the Universal Basic Education (UBE) to N3.5 billion, Assistant Editor Bola Olajuwon reports

    THE Federal Government recently approved an upward review of the matching grants of state governments for infrastructural projects under the Universal Basic Education (UBE) to N3.5 billion.

    The increase in matching grants is coming as UBEC Executive Secretary Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, in July, declared that over N45.7 billion in funds allocated for the implementation of UBE between 2020 and 2023 have not been accessed by many states.

    Bobboyi, at a five-day financial training for SUBEB Chairmen and Board Secretaries in Ibadan, said the increase in matching grants to the states for infrastructural projects was realised from the two per cent  consolidated revenue fund allotted for basic education in Nigeria.

    He said that the approval followed the passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill, which was assented to law by the President.

    “The 2024 Federal Government Statutory Allocation of the UBE Matching Grant to each state is over N3.5 billion. The grant complies with Section 11 (2) of the UBE Act, 2004.

    “The state governments are requested to provide an equivalent amount of N3.5 billion as Counterpart Fund to execute the first to the fourth Quarter, 2024 UBE intervention projects,” Bobboyi said.

    He noted that states previously were getting about N1.3 billion per year, as matching grants, but the grant had now been jacked up to N3.3 billion.

    Bobboyi, however, urged state governments yet to access the 2023 matching grant with the commission amounting to N1.4billion as of July 1, 2024, to do so.

    States fail to access N45.7b with UBEC as basic education suffers

    Before the increase in matching grants, Bobboyi had declared that over N45.7 billion in funds allocated for the implementation of UBE between 2020 and 2023 have not been accessed by many states.

    He made this known when he received members of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services on an oversight visit to the commission in Abuja.

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    According to the UBEC boss, 27 states failed to access over N45,730, 811,745 00 set aside by the Federal Government for basic education. The figures obtained from UBEC dated July 1, 2024, covered grants from 2020 – 2023, which the 27 states failed to provide the counterpart funds to access the money.

    Abia, Ogun, and Imo states had a larger share of the amount with the commission as of July 1, 2024.

    A breakdown of the figure showed that: Abia (N4, 288, 389, 014.05); Adamawa (N2, 600, 237, 320.29); Akwa Ibom (N1, 395, 780, 708.52); Anambra (N2, 600, 237, 314.29); Bauchi (N2, 600, 262, 186.61); Bayelsa (N1, 395, 804,960.52); Benue (N20,007,39); Cross River (N2,047,028.41); Ebonyi (N2, 600, 237,314.29); Edo (N2, 600, 237,314.29); Ekiti (N1,396,784,956.76); Gombe (N1,395,784,959.14); Imo (N3,546,883,977.36); Kaduna (N1,395,784,959.14) and Kano (N581,577,066.31) failed to provide counterpart funds to access the grant.

    Other states included: Katsina (N1,395,784,959.15); Kebbi (N1,395,784,959.15); Kogi (N1,395,784,959.15); Lagos ((N1,395,784,959.14); Niger (N237,312.90); Ogun (N4,261,958,112.52); Oyo (N2,600,237,312.90); Plateau (N1,395,884,959.14); Rivers (N697,892,480.96); Yobe (N1,395,784,959.14); and FCT (N1,395,784,959.15).

    Bobboyi said only 16 states have so far accessed the 2023 matching grant, representing 41 per cent of the appropriated N51.6 billion for basic education. The states are: Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.

    The executive secretary said N51.6 billion was appropriated by the Federal Government as a matching grant to states in 2023, explaining that only N21 billion was accessed by the 16 states as at June 30, thus showing 54 per cent utilisation. He said one of the challenges being faced by the commission was the inability of some state governments to access UBE matching grants as and when due.

    Bobboyi noted that the quest to deliver quality basic education as well as address the challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria, required all stakeholders, including the National Assembly to join forces together to achieve.

    He lamented that some state governments lacked political will and commitment to basic education issues, saying this further exacerbated the menace of out-of-school children in the country.

    The need for urgent amendment

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Universal Basic Education and Services, Mark Useni, described the about 20-year-old UBEC Act as obsolete and inadequate to address the emerging challenges of basic education in Nigeria. The lawmaker said there was an urgent need to amend the law.

    Useni, who is a member representing Takum/Ussa/Donga Federal Constituency, revealed that already, the bill to that effect had already passed first and second readings in the House and was now at the committee stage.

    He said: “The UBEC Act has been in place for nearly 20 years. From the time the law came into force till today, we have passed through several stages of development; so one cannot hold on to one thing over the years.

    “Like the issue of un-accessed funds, if we don’t amend the Act, the challenge would continue to be there but if the Act is amended and there are measures to make sure that we overcome un-accessed funds, the primary and secondary education would serve our children better.”

     He said the oversight function was necessary to see how basic education has fared in the last one year. Useni said the committee needed to know the areas of interventions the commission would be required to enhance quality basic education in the country.

    He added: “In our drive towards ensuring every Nigerian child is back to school and able to learn, we have high expectations from UBEC over the years. If the Federal Government has not established UBEC, you can only imagine what will become of basic education in the country.”

    UBEC Finance Director: lack of political will responsible for accumulated funds

    Also, the Director of Finance and Accounts at UBEC, Adamu Misau, attributed the accumulated funds with the commission to “lack of political will from governors”.

    Misau, in a paper presented during a meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Effective Schools Programme in Abuja, lamented high discretionary powers of the executive and legislature, which results in lack of prioritisation of basic education, poor budget credibility and implementation.

    He also blamed the lack of clear policy on funding basic education at the state and the local government levels on the increased funds with the commission.

     Falana sues 36 states

    Early this year, Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), dragged the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory before the Federal High Court in Lagos over their failure to access N68 billion Universal Basic Education Commission funds to provide free basic education for their citizens. The SAN said the states failed to pay the counterpart funds necessary to access the UBEC funds to provide free basic education for citizens.

    Also joined as defendants in the suit are the Attorney- General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN) and UBEC.

    Falana urged the court to determine “whether the refusal or failure of the respondents to access the sum of N68 billion for the Universal Basic Education of children of school age in Nigeria is illegal as it violates section 11(2) of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

    Reactions from states

    When the story came out, the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran, said the state government had finalised the payment of the outstanding counterpart fund, following an approval for the release of the fund by the state government.

    On why the payment was delayed, Adeniran said 2023 was an election year, which means that many decisions could not be taken immediately. He said the board was constituted late last year, adding that it has been working assiduously since then, with the payment of this counterpart fund as one of the results of its efforts.

    The Adamawa State Government said it was up-to-date with payment of counterpart funds to the UBEC. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, who spoke on the matter with our correspondent, asserted that because the state has paid all necessary counterpart funds to the commission, it has in turn accessed the funds due to the state.

    On being told of information that the state has outstanding grant of N2,600,237,320 to collect, Wonosikou said although he could not put the transactions between the commission and the state in figures, he was sure the state is up-to-date with its obligations and entitlements from the commission.

    The Ebonyi State Government said it is accessing the UBEC funds available to it. It said it is ever ready to pay its counterpart fund to access all the funds.

    Commissioner for Education Paul Nwobasi stated this in Abakaliki, the state capital.

    Also, the Ekiti State Government faulted the report by the UBEC that the state had failed to pay counterparts fund to access the grant. Commissioner for Education Dr. Adebimpe Aderiye, in a telephone chat with our reporter when the story broke, said the report by UBEC was  largely outdated.

    Dr. Aderiye said contrary to the claim that Ekiti State owed counterparts funds, the state government had paid N1.395 billion in June, this year.

    She said: “The Ekiti State Government in June 2024 paid N1,395,784, 059.14 as its counterpart fund.”

    Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has shown willingness and determination to access the 2020, 2023 UBEC grants, which past administration was unable to access, it was learnt.

    The governor has, therefore, intensified efforts towards that to enable the state government claim the grants.

    Last month, Katsina State Government accessed N2.79 billion as the 2023 matching grants for the execution of projects from the UBEC, Malam Aminu Badaru-Jikwmshi, said.

    Badaru-Jikwmshi, who is the Public Relations Officer, Katsina State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), made the disclosure in a statement yesterday in Katsina. The PRO said the amount was for the execution of projects under the SUBEB across the 34 local government areas of the state.

    He stated that the funds would cater for the construction, rehabilitation, provisions of furniture, offices, stores, toilets, and water points across primary and junior secondary schools in the state.

    UNICEF laments non-payment of funding

    According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria is experiencing a learning crisis that is made worse by the growing issue of out-of-school children, hence it is surprising that some state governments have not made education a priority. It can also be said that UBEC lacks strong enforcement mechanisms based on the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act of 2004 as the law does not provide for an oversight body to ensure compliance.

    Given the persistent challenges in accessing UBEC matching grants, it said it was necessary to reassess the provisions of the UBE Act.

    A review of the UBE Act could adjust the counterpart funding requirements and also include mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation to effect implementation and ensure that no state is left behind.

    NAPTAN threatens to engage state governors

    On the non-payment of the funding, NAPTAN’s Deputy National President, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, wondered why the states are not paying up.

    Ogunbanjo said: “If I bring 50 percent and then UBEC is also giving me 50 percent, why not? Then, it’s attractive to the states, meaning they are helping me, assisting me to fund education with my marching grants.

    “You can only pay your marching grants to access it. Okay. The moment I pay my N3.5 billion, then they will now give me the projects and all that and add their own N3.5 billion.

    “Great. We now know that at least N3.5 billion is there in the Federal Government’s coffers to be sent to each state of the federation as long as the state is also remitting its own N3.5 billion.”

     He urged all state parent teacher associations, state education stakeholders, including the NUT, Nigerian conference of principals of secondary schools, head teachers association of Nigeria to ensure that they engage their various states to access the funds because education is paramount.

    He added: “So, why are the states not accessing it? They should give us a reason, and then we should now at least, become a movement. The parents and other associations must also come together to bring pressure to bear on each state of the federation that has not accessed this fund to ensure that they now at least pay their own in order not to bring education backwards in their various states.

    “Bring in N3.5 billion. We give you another N3.5 billion. That is an incentive. That is attractive enough in order to ensure that education is put in a good state in their states.

     “So, I must tell you that the education sector associations should now take it upon themselves to engage their various state governments to ensure that they access funds.

    “We never knew this. You know, everything is in secrecy. But now that it has come out, then we need to engage our various state governments and the governors.”

  • States to get more funds as FG increases SUBEB matching grants to N3.5bn

    States to get more funds as FG increases SUBEB matching grants to N3.5bn

    The federal government has approved an upward review of the statutory allocation of Universal Basic Education matching grants accessible by state governments for infrastructural projects to N3,554,642,584.46.

    The Executive Secretary, of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi made the disclosure on Thursday while speaking during a 5-day financial training for SUBEB Chairmen and Board Secretaries in Ibadan.

    In his remarks, the increased matching grants to the states for the implementation of projects come from two percent of the consolidated revenue fund allotted to support basic education in Nigeria.

    Bobboyi said the approval followed the passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill and the assent to the Bill into law by President Bola Tinubu.

    Read Also: Kwara SUBEB to recruit 1,611 teachers, others for basic schools

    “The 2024 Federal Government Statutory Allocation of the UBE Matching Grant to each State is N3,554,642,584.46 (Three Billion Five Hundred and Fifty-Four Million Six Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand Five Hundred and Eighty- Four Naira Forty-Six Kobo Only).

    “The grant complies with Section 11 (2) of the UBE Act, 2004. State governments are requested to provide an equivalent amount of N3,554,642,584.46 as counterpart fund in order to execute the 1st to 4th Quarters, 2024 UBE intervention projects”, he said.

    He said that previously states were getting about N1.3 billion per year, as matching grants, stressing that the grant has been jacked up to N3.5 billion.

    Furthermore, Dr Bobboyi urged state governments, yet to access the 2023 Matching Grant with the Commission amounting to N1,395,784,959.14 as of 1 July 2024, to do so.

    Bobboyi said: “This is quite an impressive amount, isn’t it? You know the amount that we had before. Of course, we also have to take into account that inflation has affected the grants.

    “But at the same time, I think it’s very encouraging to see that the available amount is decent enough for states because when a state brings in another N3.3 billion, it goes home with about N6.6 billion. Isn’t it? In that regard, it’s quite a reasonable amount if it can be applied well.”

    The Executive Secretary explained that about 46 million children are in schools across the country, adding that according to the Sustainable Development Goals, basic education ends at the secondary school level.

    He, however, acknowledged the enormous challenges before the commission and all State SUBEBs, urging them to work as a team to mop up the remaining out-of-school children in individual states.

    The Executive Secretary said quarterly meetings of SUBEB Chairmen and Secretaries allow them to look into challenges and proffer solutions in the basic education sub-sector.

    The meeting was attended by SUBEB Chairmen, Permanent Secretaries, and Executive Secretaries in the country.

  • Oyo SUBEB job: 8,197 candidates meet 50% cut-off mark out of 45,827 applicants

    Oyo SUBEB job: 8,197 candidates meet 50% cut-off mark out of 45,827 applicants

    Out of the approximately 45,827 applicants who took the Computer-Based Test (CBT) for teaching positions in public primary schools in Oyo State, only 8,187 candidates scored above the required 50 percent cut-off mark.

    Despite a total of 52,423 candidates applying for the 7,000 teaching positions and 100 caregivers’ offers in the public primary schools opened by the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), only 45,827 candidates took the CBT examination.

    The chairman, of Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran disclosed this on Wednesday, August 7, while announcing scheduled interview dates for successful candidates.

    The Nation reports that the board had on May 17, 2024, announced plans to recruit 7,000 teachers for public primary schools and 100 caregivers for special schools across the state.

    Speaking, he said the Board has fixed Wednesday, August 14 to Friday, August 23, 2024, for interview dates for the applicants.

    Recall that the Board recently announced the result of teachers, who sat for its Computer-Based Tests in Ibadan.

    Dr Adeniran said the interview sessions will take place at the Board’s headquarters at Agodi, Ibadan, adding that the sessions, will be headed by himself and relevant stakeholders from different agencies.

    The interview schedules, according to the Oyo SUBEB boss would be on: Wednesday l, August 14, 2024, for Egbeda, and Atisbo local government areas.

    Read Also: Oyo SUBEB releases CBT results, fixes cut-off mark

    Thursday, August 15, 2024, for Akinyele, Afijio, and Ibarapa Central. Friday, August 16, 2024 for Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola, Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North, Lagelu, and Iwajowa.

    Monday, August 19, 2024, for Ido and Ibadan South West Local Government Areas.

    Tuesday, August 20, 2024, for Saki West, Saki East, Irepo, Oriire, Olorunsogo, Orelope, Ogbomoso North, and Ogbomoso South local government areas.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2024, for Atiba, Oyo East, Oyo West, Surulere, and Ogo-Oluwa local government areas.

    Thursday, August 22, 2024 for Ibadan South-East, Ibadan North-East, Ibadan North-West.

    Friday, August 23, 2024, for Oluyole and Ona Ara local government areas.

    Dr. Adeniran urged all candidates to come with print-outs of their application slips, CBT result slips, and interview schedule slips.

    He also advised qualified applicants to bring relevant credentials uploaded on the job portal, such as evidence of local government of origin, local government of residency, Date of birth certificate, NIN certificate, original certificates from their institutions, original NYSC certificate (for graduates), change of name for married women and other relevant documents.

    Noting that the scheduled time is 9 a.m. each day, Dr Adeniran maintained that the Board will uphold its role in implementing a better basic education system in the state.