By LAIDE AKINBOADE

ABUJA— IN view of the panic  created in the US  where five school children were reported to have had contact with the first Ebola case in USA, stakeholders  recently urged the federal, state governments and other providers of basic education in Nigeria to step-up sanitation and hygiene in schools to prevent Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) infection and other diseases.

This was one of the resolutions reached at the end of the 13th quarterly meeting of Universal Basic Education Commission Management with Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) held in Gusau, Zamfara State.

The communique was issued at the end of the meeting and made available to journalists in Abuja, by the Principal Public Relations Officer of UBEC, Mr. David Apeh.

They urged education providers not to relax because of the containment of the Ebola virus in Nigeria.

Delegates to the quarterly meeting also urged the Federal Government to carry out needs assessment of the state governments before intervention in Basic Education.

It was gathered that Chairmen of SUBEBs at the meeting raised concerns over certain interventions that were not really the problems of some of the schools.

The delegates particularly observed that the Exercise books procured by the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs (OSSAP-MDGs) were yet to be delivered to most states and the FCT.

They noted that record-keeping and equitable distribution of textbooks still constitute a great challenge to SUBEBs, LGEAs and schools.

The delegates in the communique commended UBEC for providing support to states and other providers of basic education with a view to improving service delivery of basic education in the country and stated that this has resulted in the establishment and equipping of additional schools, provision of textbooks and library resources for pupils, students and teachers.