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The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Prof Gidado Tahir says the commission has received.....
The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Prof Gidado Tahir says the commission has received over N30 billion from the Federal Government since the establishment of the commission in 2004.
Prof Tahir stated this yesterday during a press conference organised by the commission in collaboration with the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), at the Rivers State Secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Port Harcourt.
He said that the commission has provided each state across the federation including Abuja, with marching fund for provision of instructional materials such as books for both junior secondary and primary schools in their respective states.
The executive secretary said that the money was distributed in equal percentage among states, stressing that only those serious states like Rivers State, has accessed more funds than others.
Professor Tahir, who is also an educationist, stated that Rivers State serves as a pilot to other states in the implementation of the UBE programme.
According to him, the UBE mission statement is to serve as prime energizer of a national movement for the actualization of the nation's Universal Basic Education (UBE) vision, working in concert with all stakeholders, thus mobilizing the nation's creative energies to ensure that education for all becomes the responsibility of all.
He stated that the objectives of UBE programme was to ensure unfettered access to nine years of formal basic education, provision of free, universal basic education for every Nigerian child of school-going age.
The educationist maintained that the scheme will reduce drastically, the incidence of drop-out from the formal school system through improved relevance, quality and efficiency even as it will ensure the acquisition of appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, manipulative, communicative and life skills, as well as the ethical, moral and civic values needed for laying a solid foundation for life-long learning.
Professor Tahir, particularly, commended the leadership of the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, for his foresight in giving education its deserved place in the affairs of the state.
He noted with appreciation, the high level of support the education sector has been receiving from the state governor as evidenced in his commitment to the implementation of the UBE reform programme, and described Dr Odili as a great friend of education among the state governors in the country.
Responding to questions, the state Chairman of Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), Rev. Fr. Pius Kii said that the delineation of junior primary school from the senior secondary school was an ongoing process, adding that Rivers State remains the only state across the federation that has so far trained its principals.
Rev. Kii stated that the Rivers State Government has invested over N36 billion into the UBE scheme, and stressed that the target of RSUBEB was to be rated first among the 36 states of the federation instead of the second position it is currently rated.