By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, has urged states of the federation to take necessary steps to meet the requirements to access Matching Grants funds for the development of Basic Education in the country.

This was part of the resolutions reached at the end of 26th Quarterly meeting of UBEC Management with the Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards, SUBEB, held in Makurdi.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba stated that the meeting with the Executive Chairmen of SUBEB was not just a routine engagement “but a call to action to confront barriers hindering states from fully unlocking available resources, simplify administrative processes and access funds to deliver the desired results for school children.”

She stated that the theme of the meeting, “Unassessed and Un-utilized UBE matching grant: The Nigerian Child at the Receiving End” availed  stakeholders the leeway to confront how procedural delays and under-utilization of funds could directly hinder the delivery of education to those who needed it the most.

She disclosed that in a bid to tackle the challenges “UBEC has introduced significant reforms to enhance fund flexibility, accountability and strategic alignment, with a revised funding designed to empower states to tailor their interventions according to local needs while upholding national standards and ensuring visible outcomes.”

The UBEC Executive Secretary lauded Governor Alia for his unwavering support for educational development in the state, particularly in the Basic Education sector. She noted the significant infrastructural improvements recorded under his tenure and urged him to maintain the momentum, especially in line with President Tinubu’s education initiatives.

She also commended the Benue state government for accessing all of its matching grants with no outstanding balance as of 2024, an achievement she noted “speaks volumes of the diligence and focus to prioritize basic education in the state.”

The Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Alausa, represented by the Deputy Director Basic Education, Joy Onoja told the delegates that significant progress had been made from resolutions of the previous quarterly meeting to review the Universal Basic Education Act 2024 with the launch of over $500million loan-aid programme to aid the education of millions of Nigerian children.

Dr. Alausa emphasized that “the Ministry will continue to advocate for quality Basic Education as a fundamental right of every child by fostering strategic partnership and implementing innovative solutions that change the education sector.”

Governor Hyacinth Alia while expressing appreciation to UBEC for accepting Benue to host the 26th Quarterly Meeting, acknowledged the importance of Basic Education, saying his administration had aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu “through strategic reforms and physical investment in education.”      

While highlighting the key achievement of his administration in the Basic Education sector, the Governor noted that his administration had accessed  the UBE matching grants with zero delay, constructed over 200 school structures, reintroduced sporting activities in public schools, replaced blackboards with white boards and paid minimum wage to teachers as well as recruited 9,000 teachers among others.

Ealier, he Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB, Dr. Grace Adagba said it was a privilege to host the crucial gathering at a time the country was searching for answers to the persistent challenges confronting basic education.

Dr Adagba who is the Dean of SUBEB Chairmen in North Central zone urged her colleagues to use the forum for introspection by asking hard but necessary questions and ensuring that the meeting was remembered as the one they collectively decided to reaffirm that the Nigeria child deserved better.

Dr. Adagba, expressed deep appreciation to Governor Alia for his continued support for the Board’s efforts pledging to sustain the drive for quality basic education in the state and thanked both UBEC and the Federal Ministry of Education for selecting Benue as host.

The meeting had in attendance all the Executive Chairmen of SUBEB from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.