Some key figures in the education sector have strongly criticized certain state governments for failing to access approximately N68 billion in grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), describing this failure as criminal. They argue that this substantial amount could significantly alleviate some of the challenges facing the basic education sector.

As of December 11, 2023, 11 state governments had yet to access a total of N68.7 billion in grants from UBEC. This is particularly concerning given that over 20.2 million children in the country are currently out of school.

Stakeholders, including parents represented by the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), expressed their dismay in separate discussions with the Vanguard.

Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, the National President of NAPTAN, condemned the situation, emphasizing the severity of the challenges faced by the basic education sector. He suggested that UBEC should be allowed to execute projects on behalf of the affected states, but clarified that the law does not permit this. He explained that it is the responsibility of the state governments, through the State Universal Basic Education Board, to propose and initiate projects, with UBEC providing the remaining funds after the state's contribution.

Danjuma proposed that President Bola Tinubu should convene a meeting with the state governors to stress the importance of providing the counterpart funding for these projects.

Comrade Alao John, the Southwest Coordinator of NANS, highlighted the poor condition of public schools and expressed his dissatisfaction with the failure to access the funds. He emphasized the need for accountability, citing instances where states had been suspended from accessing funds due to previous grant mismanagement. He advocated for student involvement in the decision-making process to ensure the judicious use of funds meant for school renovations or construction.

Recently, a group led by Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, called for the enforcement of Section 3 of the Education Reforms Act, which mandates state governments to contribute 50 percent of the costs of projects to be executed in their states by UBEC.

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