THE Federal Government has disclosed that it has disbursed the sum of N138 billion to 36 States of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory to strengthen basic education system in the last three years.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who made this known on Monday in Abuja during the national flag off of the 2018 National Personnel Audit, said the Federal government would not fail Nigerians on the promise to ensure quality education delivery in the country.
Adamu said the funds released through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) were being accessed by States and the Federal Capital Territory after paying their counterpart contributions.
He said UBEC was established by the Federal government as a demonstration of its resolve to support States and Local Government to fulfil their constitutional mandate of providing free, compulsory and Universal Basic Education (UBE) in the country.
He said: “In line with this commitment, the present administration, from 2015 to date had released the sum of N138 billion as matching grant. These funds are being accessed by States and FCT after paying the counterpart contributions”.
The Minister said the 2018 National Personnel Audit (NPA), involving the audit of teaching and non-teaching staff of all basic education institutions in Nigeria would provide reliable basic education data for planning.
He said the exercise would establish a strong foundation for the emergence of a sound management information system at the basic level of education that had been lacking.
“Within the basic education sector, the personnel audit will also strengthen the current National Educational Management Information System which serves as a key pillar of the nation’s educational planning architecture,” the minister said.
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He called on all stakeholders in the education sector, including the private sector, civil society organizations, communities and parents to cooperate with the National Planning Committee of the 2018 NPA.
Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Hammid Bobboyi hinted that the commission was working with the National Population Commission to determine the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria through the NPA.
Dr Bobboyi stated that the value addition in 2018 NPA is the development of Global Positioning System (GPS) by National Air Space Research Development Agency (NARSDA) for proper identification and easy location of schools.
He emphasized that the collected data from the exercise will provide the basis for the determination of key performance indicators in the basic education sub-sector.
According to the UBEC Executive Secretary, “This is a national exercise in data gathering, the result of which will go a long way in strengthening the basic education sub-sector. The exercise will aid the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
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