* Delta
state Government Has Accessed 2013-2015 UBEC Grants...Hon Ogwu
Okonta
Emeka Okelum, Asaba
With the
federal government's committment to ensure efficient and effective
implementation of the Universal Basic Education(UBE) program, the federal
government today demonstrated displeasure over the program.
The
minister of state for education, Professor Anthony Gozie Anwuka, at the 19th
quarterly meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Management
with executive chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) at
Asaba, condemned state government's response to UBEC grants.
The
quarterly meetings provides platforms for the exchange of ideas that ensures
efficient and effective implementation of the UBE programs, promote quality and
exelence in Nigeria's basic education system.
The
minister maintained that the Federal Government is focused at making concerted
efforts at improving the quality of basic education in the nation.
He
mentioned federal government's basic education interventions calculated to
entrench quality service delivery include: provision of library resource
materials to learners/teachers; training of quality assurance officers for
effective evaluation of schools; teacher professional development initiatives;
supply of textbooks and other relevant instructional materials as well as
construction/renovation of classroom & libraries.
Hon Sunny
Ogwu, executive chairman, Delta State Universal Basic Education Board in his
opening remarks, noted that upon the inception of Gov Okowa's administration
embarked upon clearing the backlog of unaccessed matching grants from UBEC
Grants.
We have
accessed the 2013, 2014 and 2015 matching grants from UBEC.
The Delta
State government has recently approved the release of the 2016 counter-part
fund, Hon Sunny Ogwu said.
According
to Hon Ogwu's opening remark, his board had successfully implemented on 2013
and 2014 UBEC Grants in the state.
The theme
of the 19th quarterly meeting is tagged "Textbooks Policy: An Effective
Tool For Enhancing Delivery Of Quantitative Basic Education In Nigeria"
The
minister observed that the federal government's is aware of the problems of
inadequate trained teaching staff; inability of some states to pay teachers'
salaries, cases of too many strike actions in some states and absence of
motivation on the part of teachers.
Professor
Anthony Gozie Anwuka, lamented state governments inability to access UBEC
Grants.
It is
quite disheartening that the efforts of the federal government in the
development of basic education are being hampered by the failure of states to
access the billions of Nair that are idle in the vault of the central bank.
The
federal government cannot realize its change mantra in the basic education
sector if states are not accessing and utilizing the UBE Matching Grants as
well as the non-condition special education funds, Prof. Anwukah said.
He urged
SUBEBs Chairmen to continue discussions with their respective state governors
so that the funds could be accessed in order to make a difference in the
delivery of basic education in Nigeria.
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