66 Oyo primary schools to benefit from UBEC programme

The Oyo State Government, in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has selected 66 public primary schools to benefit from UBEC School-Based Management Committee-School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 66 schools were selected from the three senatorial districts in the state.

This was contained in a statement made available to NAN in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday by Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism.

The statement quoted Dr Nureni Adeniran, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) as saying that government was doing this as part of UBEC’s new strategy to involve communities in school management.

Adeniran was said to have revealed this while speaking with members of the various School-Based Management Committees across the state in his office on Tuesday.

He enjoined them to adhere strictly to the action plans approved by UBEC and see the opportunity as a mandate to serve their communities selflessly.

The chairman urged management of the benefiting schools to make judicious use of the funds disbursed to them to improve the standard of education in the state, saying that the project was dear to Gov. Seyi Makinde’s heart.

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“I urge you to please spend the funds disbursed to you judiciously and on the action plans approved by UBEC, as every kobo spent would be accounted for,” he said.

He warned them to be wary of anyone who might want to extort them, with the claim that Oyo SUBEB management was asking for ‘returns’.

Adeniran said: “Our attention has been drawn to the activities of syndicates extorting money from unsuspecting SBMC members, under the pretence of returns for the management of the board.

“Please disregard such information, as it is false and misleading,” he said.

The SUBEB chairman stressed that anybody fingered in the extortion would be investigated and appropriately dealt with within the ambits of the law.

He described the programme as a boost to the School-Based Management Committee – School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP).

According to him, the policy is a strategy that will create opportunities for SBMCs to manage the schools in their respective communities.

He also expressed optimism that the programmes would increase enrolment, retention, completion and transition in the basic education sub- sector as well as help address the challenges of out-of-school-children in the state.

“As we look into ways of addressing the challenges of out-of- school children in the state, it is our belief that this programme will go a long way in increasing enrolments in our public schools.

“The policy will strengthen partnership between our public schools and the communities involved.

“It will further improve the schools and encourage community leaders around those schools to be involved in the planning, management and maintenance of school properties,” Adeniran said.

NAN.