Reps want UBEC to improve states’ capacity on UBE action plan

THE Federal House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services has asked the management of the Universal Basic Education Commission to build the capacity of state governments on the development of effective Universal Basic Education (UBE) action plan.

It also commended UBEC for its bold steps in improving basic education service delivery across the country.

The vice chairman of the committee, Honourable Usman Zannah, who led the delegation of the lawmakers to UBEC headquarters, Abuja, noted that the current administration of the commission had stepped up its interventions in UBE delivery.

Zannah also noted that the executive secretary of the commission, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, had engaged broadly with other stakeholders in facilitating access to UBE matching grants and, ultimately, quality UBE delivery in spite of various limitations.

UBEC executive secretary, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, while briefing the committee on the 2019 budget performance highlighted the key mandates, functions as well as the extent of the utilization of the UBE funds appropriated in 2019.

He informed the team that the North-West geopolitical zone was ahead of other zones in accessing the UBE matching grants, having accessed 82 per cent of the allocated fund.

He also informed the committee that N73 billion of the 2019 fund was yet to be released to 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory as most states often prefer to wait till the end of each year before taking the total annual sum for UBE delivery services.

Bobboyi explained that seven states: Bauchi, Cross River, Kaduna, Kogi, Oyo, Sokoto and Taraba had already provided the required counterpart fund for the 2019 funds and were expected to follow up with the submission of the action plans for the utilization of the fund, before UBEC could release the funds.

As part of the UBEC brief, Dr. Bobboyi lamented that the four per cent UBE implementation component was grossly inadequate for the smooth operations of the commission and sought the lawmakers’ assistance in scaling up this component to five per cent.

He called on states that were yet to provide the counterpart funds, especially Kwara, and those that were yet to submit their action plans, especially Anambra, to do so and access the much-needed fund for the improvement of basic education services in their domains.

As part of the deliberations, the committee charged UBEC to provide the required technical assistance to SUBEBs to fast-track the development of the state plans and access the UBE fund as at when due.

The committee further noted other areas which UBEC has to focus on, including effective monitoring of UBE projects across the country and improvement of teacher quality.

The committee was at UBEC as part of its constitutional oversight roles aimed at ensuring accountability and promoting good governance in designated public institutions.