UBEC GRANT: Minister Decry State's Inability To Access Grant

* 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.