The national president Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Orji Emmanuel has called on the federal government to review the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act to allow private schools to benefit from the UBEC fund.
His call came following reports that twenty-seven states failed to access N54.9bn basic education fund provided by the Universal Basic Education Commission.
It be recalled that three weeks ago, the UBEC published a document containing the matching grants by the thirty-six states and FCT between 2005 and 2023.
The Northern Governor’s Forum Education Advisor, Dr Ebenezer Leo had in a report said UBEC funds remain trapped due to the inability of state governments to raise the 50% counterpart of the amount they need as provided in Part III, Section 41 of the UBEC Act 2004.
Meanwhile, a bill seeking to amend the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Act to double the funding from the consolidated revenue fund from 2% to 4% has passed second reading at the House of Representatives.
Emmanuel expressed worries that despite the growing number of out-of-school children in the country such funds lay idle at the commission.
Speaking with SundayTribune, Emmanuel attributed the unassessed grants to poor governance at the state level.
“Good Governance for some individuals would remain a mystery because they don’t understand it, but want of persons or the unavailability of people who understand it, many states in Nigeria are under wrong leadership or under those with power to confiscate the instrumentality of governance
“What can one make out of the fact that in the face of the announced increasing number of out of school children, many states are yet to access the matching grant?
“The UBEC matching grant we all know is a grant imposed on the states to increase the amount available annually for investment into the basic education of the Nigerian child since some of the leaders on their own cannot understand the importance and role of education in national development.
“Whilst that of Abia that have been under misrule could be understood, one would not but wonder why some second term Governors state are looking for in that mention.
“Again, it’s unfortunate that these funds are available yet a great number of children that are supposed to be in schools are out.”
He recommended that the federal government reconsider amendment of the UBE Act which according to him will allow low cost private schools to benefit from the grant.
“I would request that the FG reconsider an amendment to the UBE act that recognises only public schools on the quest of the education of the Nigerian child considering the rising trend on the role of low cost private schools in Nigeria.
“Low cost school is now a global model and should be supported to deliver as in other climes. This UBE fund is targeted for the provision of learning spaces and must be used to achieve that either through the public or low-cost schools,” Emmanuel added.
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