THE Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has expended a sum of N12 billion on the construction of new classrooms and renovation of others under the 2023 Constituency Zonal intervention projects.
According to a document obtained from the commission, the sum of N12, 121,750,761.00 was appropriated by the National Assembly for the 2023 constituency projects.
While the sum of N837,000,000.00 was earmarked for Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP), the Constituency Projects (Capital) got N11,284,750,761.00.
The document further revealed that contracts worth N11,764,269,553.98 were awarded for 895 constituency projects comprising classrooms construction, 178, classrooms renovation, 39 and supplies, 678.
According to a report of a recent National Personnel Audit conducted by UBEC, 40 percent of classrooms are in bad condition in the basic education sub- sector. The poor condition of classrooms cuts across all geo-political zones.
The report indicated that as of 2022, 907,769 additional classrooms were required in primary schools, and 200,085 were required in junior secondary schools.
Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi, however, said the commission, in pursuance of its mandate of coordinating the implementation of the Universal Basic Education Programme, has recorded modest achievements in the last few years.
He listed some of the achievements to include construction and furnishing of 37 Smart Model Schools in the 36 States and FCT as well as construction, furnishing and equipping of National Digital Resource Centre in Abuja to power the smart schools project.
He added that the commission has also established and equipped 111 e-learning centres across 111 senatorial districts in Nigeria.
Other achievements included the construction of 329 classrooms, 83 offices, 75 stores, 465 toilets, 24 computer laboratories, 48 workshops, 22 libraries, two clinics, 32 crèches, 34 playgrounds, 41 boreholes.
The commission has also supplied 14,296 pupils’ furniture and 83 teachers’ furniture under the North-East intervention projects while office automation software has been installed in the Commission.
Bobboyi, speaking recently 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, however, said the Commission has had some challenges in the implementation of the 2023 budget.
This, he revealed, includes the over 45.7 billion matching grant to state governments for implementation of UBE between 2020 and 2023 that has not been accessed by many states.
Bobboyi, also disclosed that only 16 states had so far accessed the 2023 matching grant, representing 41 percent of the appropriated N51.6 billion.
According to him, the sum of 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.
He listed the 16 states to include, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.
“Out of N103.2 billion appropriated amount for 2023, being two percent of Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), the sum of N55 billion was utilised.
“This is total expenditure under UBE implementation, matching grant, educational imbalance, special education and monitoring and programmes funds as at June 30, 2024, thus, showing 54 percent utilisation.
“For the 2023 matching grant disbursement status, the sum of N21 billion was accessed by 16 states out of N51.6 billion appropriated, representing 41 percent as at June 30,” he said.
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