The Government Secretary, Common Primary Training Fee (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, has disclosed that over N45.7 billion matching grant to state governments for the implementation of Common Primary Training (UBE) between 2020 and 2023 has not been accessed by many states.
Bobboyi acknowledged this on Wednesday when he obtained members of the Home of Representatives Committee on Primary Training and Providers who have been on the Fee on an oversight go to.
He additionally disclosed that solely 16 states have up to now accessed the 2023 matching grant, representing 41 per cent of the appropriated N51.6 billion.
In line with him, the sum of N51.6 billion was appropriated by the Federal Authorities as matching grant to states in 2023, explaining that solely N21billion was accessed by the 16 states as at June 30, 2024.
He listed the 16 states to incorporate, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.
“Out of N103.2 billion appropriated quantity for 2023, being two per cent of Consolidated Income Fund (CRF), the sum of N55 billion was utilised.
“That is being whole expenditure beneath UBE implementation, matching grant, academic imbalance, particular schooling and monitoring and programmes funds as at June 30, 2024, thus, exhibiting 54 per cent utilisation.
“For the 2023 matching grant disbursement standing, the sum of N21 billion was accessed by 16 states out of N51.6 billion appropriated, representing 41 per cent as at June 30,” he stated.
He additional stated one of many challenges confronting the Fee was the lack of some state governments to entry UBE matching grant as at when due.
Bobboyi famous that the hunt to ship high quality primary schooling in addition to tackle the problem of out-of-school kids in Nigeria requires all stakeholders, together with the Nationwide Meeting to affix forces collectively to attain.
He lamented that some state governments lacked political will and dedication to primary schooling points, saying this additional exacerbated the menace of out-of-school kids within the nation.
The chairman, Home Committee on Common Primary Training and Providers, Hon. Mark Bako Useni, on his half, described the about 20-year-old UBEC Act, as out of date and insufficient to deal with the rising challenges of primary schooling in Nigeria, therefore the pressing have to amend the regulation.
Useni who’s member representing Takum/Ussa/Donga Federal Constituency of Taraba State, revealed that already, the invoice to that impact has handed first and second readings within the Home of Representatives, and is now on the committee stage.
He stated, “UBEC Act has been in place for almost 20 years. From the time the regulation got here into pressure until at present, now we have handed by a number of phases of developments; so one can’t maintain on to at least one factor over time.
“Like the difficulty of un-accessed funds, if we don’t amend the act, the problem would proceed to be there; but when the act is amended and there are measures to be sure that we overcome un-accessed funds, the first and secondary schooling would serve our youngsters higher.”
He stated the oversight operate was essential to see how primary schooling has fared within the final one yr.
Useni stated the committee must know the areas of interventions the fee could be required to boost high quality primary schooling within the nation.
“In our drive towards guaranteeing that each Nigerian youngster is again to highschool and capable of study, now we have excessive expectations from UBEC over time.
“If the Federal Authorities has not established UBEC, you may solely think about what is going to change into of primary schooling within the nation,” he stated.
He added, “The problem of unavailability of academics is also past what we are able to obtain at this stage. UBEC doesn’t recruit academics for LEA, it’s the duty of states and native governments.
“What UBEC does is intervention to test the standard of academics and make them up-to-date. We’re going to interact state actors to be sure that we name consideration to those critical issues,” he stated.
