Afrigather The Common Primary Training Fee (UBEC) disclosed that about N135, 540,905,308.92 billion in matching grants has not been accessed by states between 2020 and 2024.
Hamid Bobboyi, govt secretary of UBEC, disclosed this throughout his presentation of the 2023 and 2024 finances implementation report back to the Senate Committee on Primary and Secondary Training on Monday in Abuja.
Bobboyi clarified that the present yr’s finances (2024) can be disbursed within the following yr, which signifies that the allotted funds didn’t normally lapse, not like funds allotted to different organisations.
He, nevertheless, expressed concern that many states had failed to satisfy the mandatory circumstances to entry these funds, leaving much-needed assets untapped for instructional improvement.
He identified that regardless of some progress, 9 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had not accessed the 2023 UBE Matching Grant.
“When it comes to regional efficiency, the North-West Zone has carried out one of the best, reaching 100 per cent entry to the UBE matching grant, whereas the South-South Zone has accessed 97.92 per cent of its allotted funds,” he added.
Bobboyi additional disclosed that Katsina and Kaduna have set a constructive instance by accessing the 2024 UBE Matching Grant early, including that different states equivalent to Ogun, Abia, and Imo had been lacking the 2020 and 2021 matching grants.
Giving the breakdown of the report, he revealed that seven states had but to entry the 2022 UBE matching grant, including that the South-East zone was lagging, having accessed solely 85.37 per cent of its 2022 matching funds.
He stated: “34 states and FCT have accessed 2020 Matching Grant, two states specifically Abia and Ogun haven’t. 33 states and FCT have accessed 2021 matching grant, three states specifically Abia, Imo and Ogun haven’t.
“29 states and FCT have accessed 2022 matching grant, seven states specifically: Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Ogun and Oyo haven’t. 25 states have accessed 1-4th Quarter 2023 matching grant, one state, Rivers, accessed 1st-2nd Quarter 2023 Matching Grant.
“9 states and FCT haven’t accessed 2023 matching grant. The states are: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Plateau.
“Two states specifically Katsina and Kaduna have accessed 1-2nd Quarter, 2024 matching grant, 34 states and FCT haven’t accessed 2024 matching grant,” he added. Bobboyi supplied an in depth efficiency breakdown by area in accessing the UBE matching grant.
“North-West Zone got here 1st place with 100 per cent accessed, south-south zone-2nd place with 97.92 per cent accessed, north-central zone, third place with 97.76 per cent accessed, north-east zone, 4th place with 97.57 per cent accessed, south-west Zone, fifth place with 92.28 per cent accessed, south-east zone, sixth place with 85.37per cent accessed.”
The chief secretary stated a number of challenges hindered the efficient implementation of the 2023 and 2024 budgets.
He attributed the challenges to lack of political will and dedication by some state governments in direction of primary training points, in addition to the excessive variety of out-of-school kids, together with the Almajiri and kids with particular wants.
Bobboyi maintained that getting these kids into formal training remained a big hurdle.
Different challenges embody low budgetary allocations for primary training on the state and native authorities ranges, and growing insecurity round colleges in sure elements of the nation. Violent crimes equivalent to insurgency, banditry, kidnappings, and communal crises have contributed to a troublesome atmosphere for colleges in some areas.
Bobboyi additionally famous the gradual tempo of challenge execution by the State Common Primary Training Boards (SUBEBs) as one other main bottleneck.
Earlier, Lawal Adams Usman, chairman Senate Committee on Training (Primary and Secondary), careworn the significance of primary training for the event and way forward for the nation.
He stated the committee, as the first oversight physique for UBEC, visited the fee in compliance with Part 88 of the 1999 Structure (as amended).
The go to aimed to evaluate the extent of compliance with the complete implementation of the 2023/24 finances, determine inefficiencies, waste, and challenges, and make suggestions for enchancment.
