The federal government has announced the approval of the upward review of the matching grants of state governments for infrastructural projects under the Universal Basic Education (UBE)to N3.5 billion.
The approval was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi, on Thursday during the current five-day financial training for SUBEB Chairmen and Board Secretaries in Ibadan.
He explained that the increased matching grants to the states for infrastructural projects was realised from the countries two per cent consolidated revenue fund which ahs been allocated to basic education in Nigeria.
He noted that the approval has taken effect since the government approved the 2024 budget, which was signed by the president, Bola Tinubu, into law. The Executive Secretary further disclosed that the current figures are in compliance with Section 11 (2) of the UBE Act, 2004.
Speaking further, he noted that each state in the country is expected to provide a counterpart amount of N3.5 billion as a requirement to access the grants, which will be used to facilitate the first to the fourth quarter of 2024 UBE intervention projects.
In the past years, he disclosed that each state was allocated a total of N1.3 billion per year as matching grants, but the amount has seen a massive increase to N3.3 billion, which will increase development in the country’s basic school levels.
He disclosed that some states in the country have noted accessing the 2023 matching grant to a whopping amount of N1.4 billion as of July 1, 2024. He urged such states to be steadfast and do so as soon as possible.
He noted that a state is expected to raise a total of N3.3 billion, which will give them N6.6 billion. He said that the figures look impressive while explaining that the country’s inflation rate has also affected the grants. He noted that the figures are very impressive if the amount is used well.
Speaking on the current number of students in schools, the UBEC boss noted that 46 million children are presently in schools across the country. He further added that the end of basic education is at secondary school.
Bobboyi acknowledges the various challenges in different states, urging the state executives to work together in order to bring back all the children who are currently out of school in different states of the country.
He explained the importance of the quarterly meeting of the SUBEB chairmen and secretaries, explaining that the time will help participants to proffer solutions to problems affecting various states in their basic education levels.
The Ibadan meeting was attended by SUBEB chairmen, permanent secretaries, and executive secretaries of all the states in the country.
