NSUBEB Urges Effective Use Of UBEC Intervention Funds

The Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) called on Education Secretaries in all Local Government Councils to appropriately use Universal Basic Education Commission's (UBEC) intervention funds.

The Chairman, NSUBEB, Alhaji Sai’du Ibrahim, made this during a stakeholders' sensitisation of the 2021/2022 School Based Management Committee in Minna on Wednesday.

The focus of the meeting was to sensitise education secretaries and the SBMC members on the School Improvement Programme, an ongoing UBEC project that provides financial assistance to communities towards the development of basic education.

According to the NSUBEB Chairman, represented by the Director of Teachers Professional Development of NSUBEB, Salihu Gomna, the UBEC project is meant to provide financial support for schools to undertake physical projects such as repairing, renovating classrooms, and providing furniture to create a more conducive learning environment.

“Instead of engaging contractors, UBEC gives this financial support to communities and schools to enable them to execute projects that they needed.

“You are not to use this money to marry more wives or divert it to other purposes.

“You should use it to improve basic education in your various communities.

“You will be guided and monitored by SUBEB, UBEC and the Local Education Authority to ensure proper utilisation of the funds.

“They will ensure that you use the funds on the three areas of specification, which are the execution of special, macro and micro projects,” the NSUBEB boss said.

As part of the stakeholders' sensitization program for the School Improvement Programme in Niger State, the Chairman of NSUBEB, Alhaji Sai’du Ibrahim, advised education secretaries and others involved in the project to exercise prudence and ensure host communities are carried along.

“Be transparent, keep records, receipts and have evidence of projects executed,” Ibrahim said.

Hajiya Zarah Ibrahim, NSUBEB Director of Social Mobilisation, also encouraged participants to extensively deliberate on areas that would uplift and develop basic education in the state.

Also speaking, Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, represented by Hajiya Fatima Kutigi, advised participants to use the UBEC funds to develop basic education, especially in areas with dilapidated school structures.