GOVERNOR EL- RUFA'I'S EDUCATIONAL REFORM VS N4BILLION UBEC PROJECTS

GOVERNOR EL- RUFA'I'S EDUCATIONAL REFORM VS N4BILLION UBEC PROJECTS

                    By:
Nurudeen Dauda
  February 24,2018
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In my understanding , Educational development include among others: the provision of qualified/motivated teachers, instructional materials, training/ retraining and conducive learning environment etc.

However, for me, it is a cheering news to have heard that,  Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board  (UBEB) has awarded a contract of N4bn to Oasis Building Ltd., for the construction of additional 594 classrooms across the 23 LGs of the state under the Universal Basic Education Commission’s 2015/2016 intervention projects.

In my observation, for many years, many state governments have provided "little" or "no" 50% financial commitment as their counterpart funding requires by the 2004 Universal Basic Education Act for their states to benefit from the UBEC Intervention Fund.

Honourable Aishatu Dukku a Former State Minister for Education  had once said: "... Some states have failed to claim their grants since 2005, while over N58 billion of the commission’s fund was idling away in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) unclaimed, yet states moan that they do not have money to develop the education sector...” (Daily Trust: March 17, 2016:P.8).

Universal Basic Education Act, 2004,  Section (11)Sub- section (2) said : "For any State to qualify for the Federal Government block grant pursuant to subsection 1(l) of this section, such State shall contribute not less than 50% of the total cost of projects as its commitment in the execution of the project.

Permit me to commend the government of Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa'i for the provision of its 50% counterpart funding . I urge the Governor to maintain the tempo. 

The contractors to the N4billion projects have pledged to deliver the projects in the next four months. As a concern stakeholder,  I want to appeal to the contractors to do the job according to specification and within the agreed period since this is a project with funds readily available .

I want to call on the state commissioner for Education and SUBEB to please strictly supervise and monitor the projects in order to ensure timely as well as quality projects.

However, I am also pleased to note that, Kaduna State is making a proposal as part of teachers' motivation /welfare package. The Government has pledged as follows :

ON SALARY : Teachers salaries will be increased by 27.5% with addittional 5% to teachers posted to rural areas as an incentive to them effective from March, 2018.

ON TAXATION : From March, 2018 the Pay As You Earn tax would no longer be deducted from teachers salaries, of both primary and secondary schools in order to improve their take home pay.

ON TRANSPORTATION: The government has pledged to give motorcycles loans to teacters in order to ease their transportation challenges to schools.

ON HOUSING : The government has pledged for Housing incentive of three-bedroom accommodation for Headmasters that would be posted rural areas , and two-bedrooms flats for class teachers that would be posted to rural areas.

It is a known fact that, most teachers posted to rural areas usually try to relocate to the urban areas. 

I do hope and wish that the government will implement all the above said pledges. In my observation, if that is done the welfare of teachers in the state will definitely be improved.

May God bless Kaduna state!

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