UBEC: States failed to access ₦46bn development grant for public schools

May 11, 2023 8:08 am

In this photo, the head teacher of LGEA primary school in Umaisha unlocks the door to a classroom as two pupils hold on to a few teaching materials. Photo: Chigozie Victor/HumAngle.

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) says state governments failed to access over ₦46.2 billion in grants for the development of public primary and junior secondary schools.

Bala Zakari, acting executive secretary of UBEC, spoke on Wednesday during an oversight visit to the commission by the senate committee on basic and secondary education.

The UBEC boss was presenting the 2022 capital budget implementation report for the commission.

He said a total sum of ₦162,284,117,592 was allocated to the states as UBE grants between 2019 and 2022.

Of this figure, Zakari said only ₦116,072,964,294.33 was accessed by the 36 states and FCT.

He added that only 11 states had accessed the 2022 matching grant fund as of April 30, 2023.

“The sum of ₦46,211,153,298.63 is the total of un-accessed UBE matching grants as of 30th April 2023 by the 36 states and the FCT,” the UBEC executive secretary said.

“Between 2019 and 2022, the sum of ₦162, 284, 117,592 was allocated to the states being UBE grants.

“As of 30th April 2023, the sum of ₦116,072,964,294.33 was accessed by 36 states and the FCT, Abuja, representing 71.52 percent as of 30th April 2023.”

Zakari said 35 states and FCT accessed the 2019 allocation, with Anambra yet to access the grant as of April 30, 2023.

He said 30 states and the FCT accessed the 2020 matching grants while Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Kwara, and Ogun are yet to take theirs.

Zakari, speaking on the 2021 UBE development grant, said 29 states have accessed it. He said seven states and FCT are yet to access the 2022 UBE matching grant as of April 30, 2023.

“In 2022 matching grants, 11 states namely; Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Ondo, Taraba, and Zamfara have accessed the 2021 UBE matching grant,” he added.

“Twenty-five states and FCT are yet to access the 2022 UBE matching grant as of 30th April 2023.”

Ibrahim Gaidam, chairman of the senate committee on basic and secondary education, said it is important to ensure that money released by the government is used for the purpose it was released.

In March 2023, TheCable reported on how public schools struggle with poor infrastructure while intervention funds remain unused.