The federal government says it has accessed over N140 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) grants and disbursed same to state governments since the start of the current administration...READ FULL; FROM THE SOURCE.
Tunji Alausa, minister of education, spoke about this on Tuesday while hosting a CEO breakfast meeting for private sector leaders and development partners under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in Lagos.
UBEC, which coordinates Nigeria’s basic education programme, is funded through two percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
However, a significant portion of these funds reportedly remain under-utilised, with several states failing to provide the required counterpart funding to access the grants.
This has contributed to chronic funding constraints that continue to hinder the delivery of quality education in Nigeria’s public schools.
Speaking at the event, Aisha Garba, executive secretary of UBEC, said poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and gaps in teaching quality continue to limit learning, particularly in rural communities.
“Poverty-driven dropouts, poor infrastructure, and gaps in teaching quality continue to limit learning, especially in rural areas,” she said.
“To realise Nigeria’s potential, we must expand access for out-of-school children, build teacher capacity, invest in basic school facilities, and adopt data-driven, needs-based planning.”
Addressing concerns over basic education funding, Alausa said the current administration has dispatched over N140 billion of N240 billion UBEC funds to state governments in a bid to bridge the funding gap.
“Before we came in, almost N240 billion in matching grants was unaccessed. Today, through improved collaboration, over N140 billion has been accessed and deployed by states,” he said.
The minister said the funds are being used to build classrooms, provide furniture, and improve sanitation facilities in schools.
To increase UBEC funding, Alausa said the ministry has submitted a bill to the national assembly.
“We have a bill at the national assembly to increase UBEC funding from two percent to four percent, which will further strengthen foundational education,” he said.
Alausa also highlighted the ministry’s nationwide digital platform to track students throughout their educational journey, a move aimed at improving planning and reducing dropout rates.
“For the first time in the history of our country, we now have a digital platform where every child can be tracked from primary school through their education journey,” he added.
“We know where these children are, and as they drop out, we know the reasons and can intervene accordingly.”
He described the initiative as a game-changer that will enable data-driven policymaking and accountability.
The minister also said the government has commenced plans to access a $500 million global partnership fund in a bid to fast-track key education reforms.
According to him, the GPE is expected to raise $11.5 billion to boost learning across 80 countries, presenting an opportunity for Nigeria to access an additional $500 million in education funding.
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