Unaccessed UBEC Funds: FG Urges State Govts on Roles

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Federal Government has called on state governments to ensure payment of their counterpart funds, a prerequisite to accessing the funds allocated them from the federal account through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu who gave the charge during a meeting with the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello in Abuja, lamented that he has observed some states have not accessed their funds since 2015.

In a statement made available to newsmen by the Director press of the ministry, Mrs. Priscilla Ihuoma, Adamu noted that the UBEC funds could assist state governments improve their basic education delivery.

It stated that the Minister had emphasised that solid foundation must be developed at basic education level if the system must be right at all other levels.

Adamu had given assurances of Federal Government’s commitment to work with the states in the areas of teacher development and Technical/Vocational Studies, as both forms part of the Ministerial Strategic Plan developed by the Ministry.

To this end, he directed the Executive Secretary UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, to consider possible assistance to Niger state to develop the three special teacher training institutes spread across the state; as well as the plans to re-train teachers in the state rather than contemplating sack which could worsen unemployment situation in the country.

Briefing the Minister on the deplorable condition of the education sector which he inherited, Gov. Bello stressed that the situation was terrible in terms of infrastructure and teacher quality.

While disclosing that his administration has started fixing the infrastructure deficit including provision of more classrooms and students’ hostels, he sought the ministry’s support towards strengthening specialised teacher institutes to train fresh teachers, and building capacity of existing teachers instead of sacking the non capable ones.

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