By Felix Khanoba
The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, disclosed that over N45.7 billion in matching grants allocated to state governments for the implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) between 2020 and 2023 remain unaccessed by many states.
Dr. Bobboyi revealed this during an oversight visit by members of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services to the Commission in Abuja on Wednesday.
He noted that only 16 states have accessed the 2023 matching grant, amounting to 41 percent of the appropriated N51.6 billion. By June 30, these 16 states had accessed N21 billion of the funds.
The states that accessed the grants are Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara.
“Out of the N103.2 billion appropriated for 2023 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), N55 billion has been utilized, which represents 54 percent of the total allocation,” Bobboyi said. “This expenditure includes matching grants, educational imbalance funds, special education, monitoring, and other program funds up to June 30, 2024.”
Bobboyi highlighted a significant challenge facing the Commission: the inability of some state governments to access the UBE matching grants promptly. He emphasized that delivering quality basic education and tackling the out-of-school children crisis in Nigeria requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including the National Assembly.
He lamented the lack of political will and commitment to basic education issues by some state governments, exacerbating the out-of-school children problem.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Universal Basic Education and Services, Hon. Mark Bako Useni, criticized the UBEC Act, now nearly 20 years old, as obsolete and inadequate for addressing the emerging challenges of basic education in Nigeria. He stressed the urgent need to amend the law, with the relevant bill having already passed the first and second readings in the House and now at the committee stage.
“UBEC’s current legal framework has been in place for nearly 20 years. We have undergone significant developments since then, and it’s crucial to update the Act to address issues such as unaccessed funds. Amending the Act will help improve primary and secondary education for our children,” Useni stated.
Useni emphasized the necessity of the committee’s oversight function to evaluate the progress of basic education over the past year and identify areas where the Commission requires intervention to enhance quality education.
“In our drive to ensure every Nigerian child is back in school and learning, we have high expectations from UBEC,” Useni said. “Without UBEC, the state of basic education in the country would be unimaginable.”
He also highlighted the teacher shortage issue, noting that while UBEC intervenes to ensure teacher quality, recruitment is the responsibility of states and local governments. Useni called for state-level engagement to address these pressing challenges.
“Nigerians recognize the pivotal role of UBEC in our children’s education. It is essential to understand the challenges you face and ensure you fulfill your mandate. We must work diligently to improve basic education,” he concluded.
