By Tochukwu Bliss, Abuja
The Federal Government, yesterday, said it has approved an upward review of statutory allocation of the Universal Basic Education Commission’s (UBEC) matching grants accessible by state governments for infrastructural projects to about N3.555billion.
The Executive Secretary, UBEC, Hamid Bobboyi, was quoted as saying this during a 5-day financial training for SUBEB Chairmen and Board Secretaries in Ibadan, Oyo State, according to a statement issued by the UBEC spokesperson, David Apeh.
Dr. Bobboyi was said to have explained that the increase in matching grants to the States for the implementation of projects comes from 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund allotted to support basic education in Nigeria.
Mr. Bobboyi said the approval followed the passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill and the assent to the Bill into law.
He said: “The 2024 Federal Government Statutory Allocation of the UBE Matching Grant to each State is N3,554,642,584.46.”
The grant is in compliance with Section 11 (2) of the UBE Act, 2004, while State governments are requested to provide an equivalent amount of about N3.555 billion as Counterpart Fund to execute the 1st to 4th Quarters, 2024 UBE intervention projects.
He noted that previously, states were getting about N1.3 billion yearly, as matching grants, but now receive N3.3 billion.
The increase in matching grants to the States for the implementation of projects comes from 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund allotted to support basic education in Nigeria.
Furthermore, Dr. Bobboyi urged State governments, yet to access the 2023 Matching Grant with the Commission of about N1.4 billion as of July 1, 2024, to do so.
Mr. Bobboyi said: “This is quite an impressive amount, isn’t it? You know the amount that we had before. Of course, we also have to take into account that inflation has affected the grants.
“But at the same time, I think it’s very encouraging to see that the amount that is available is decent enough for States, because when a state brings in another N3.3 billion, it goes home with about N6.6 billion. Isn’t it? In that regard, it’s quite a reasonable amount if it can be applied well”, he said.
The Executive Secretary explained that about 46 million children are in schools across the country, adding that according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), basic education ends in the secondary school level.
He, however, acknowledged the enormous challenges before the Commission and all State SUBEBs, urging them to work as a team for mopping up the remaining out of school children in individual states.
He said quarterly meetings of SUBEB Chairmen and Secretaries allows them to look into challenges and proffer solutions in the basic education sub-sector.
The meeting was attended by SUBEBs Chairmen, Permanent Secretaries, and Executive Secretaries, including the Executive Secretary, OYOSUBEB, Mrs. Olaide Ladipo.
