The Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) has urged Education Secretaries in all the Local Government Councils to judiciously utilize the Universal Basic Education Commission’s (UBEC) intervention funds.
The Chairman, NSUBEB, Alhaji Sai’du Ibrahim, made the appeal on Wednesday at a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation of the 2021/2022 School Based Management Committee (SBMC) in Minna.
The meeting was to sensitise education secretaries and the SBMC members on the School Improvement Programme Project Implementation, which is ongoing in the state.
The School Improvement Programme is a project introduced by UBEC to give financial support to communities towards the development of basic education.
Ibrahim, who was represented by the Director, Teachers Professional Development of NSUBEB, Salihu Gomna, said that the UBEC project was to provide financial support for schools to execute physical projects.
He said that the physical projects included repairs, renovation of classrooms and provision of furniture for 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 execution of special, macro and micro projects,” the NSUBEB boss said.
He advised the education secretaries and others to be prudent in the execution of the projects and ensure they carried the host communities along.
“Be transparent, keep records, receipts and have evidence of projects executed,” Ibrahim said.
In an address of welcome, the Director, Social Mobilisation, NSUBEB, Hajiya Zarah Ibrahim, urged participants to deliberate extensively on areas that would bring about an uplift and development of basic education in the state.
The state Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, represented by Hajiya Fatima Kutigi, advised participants to use the funds to develop basic education, especially in areas with dilapidated school structures.
