<p>The Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board has responded
to a Freedom of Information request by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability
Project (SERAP), disclosing how “the government spent Universal Basic Education
Commission (UBEC) funds on primary school education between 2015 and 2019
including spending N45 million in one week to train one thousand primary school
teachers.”</p>



<p>This development was disclosed in a statement by SERAP deputy
director Kolawole Oluwadare, made available to OpenLife on Sunday.</p>



<p>The government’s response followed FOI requests SERAP sent last
month to the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), UBEC and
other 35 state universal basic education boards, seeking details of spending on
primary education across the country, given the poor state of education in many
states of the federation.</p>



<p>In the letter with reference number NS/UBEB/S/OFF-69/VOL.I/XX and
signed by the Board Secretary Yakubu Ahmed Ubangari, on behalf of the Executive
Chairman, the Nasarawa State Education Board disclosed that, “Our counterpart
fund for primary education in 2015 was N866,756,76 while the matching grant was
N876,756,756,76. In 2016, our counterpart fund was N607,848,100.48 while the
matching grant was N607,849,100.48. The total fund we accessed in 2015 was
N1,753,513,513.52. For 2016, it was N1,215,698,200.96.”</p>



<p>According to the letter, “In 2015, we spent N45,000,000.00 in one
week to train 1000 primary one and two teachers on Jolly Phonics teaching in
our schools. The objective is to improve staff and pupil’s synthetic phonics in
English language and to read and write effectively. The training took place in
the 3 Senatorial district centres in the state.”</p>



<p>The letter with accompanying documents dated 21 May 2019, but
which SERAP said it received last Friday, read in part: “We spent ;<a>N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms ;</a>with 1
office at Kwagshir Primary School. The construction was done by Gibbs
Scientific Nigeria Limited. We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms
with 1 office at Riri Primary School; the construction was done by Mu’uru Puhu
Services Nigeria Limited.”</p>



<p>“We spent N3,030,791.00 to construct toilet with 4 compartments;
the construction was done by A. Odumu Unique. We spent N220,472,000.00 on
supply of chairs and desk; the supplier was Innate Resources Services Limited.”</p>



<p>“We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at
Yarkadde Primary School, Keffi; the contractor’s name is Dan Dogara Oil
Limited. The project is 100 percent completed. We spent N13,925,336.36 to
construct 3 classrooms block at Feferuwa South Primary School, Lafia; the
contractor’s name is Alfada Global Ventures Limited. The project is 96 percent
completed; the balance of N526,213.68 to be paid.”</p>



<p>“We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Abebe
Primary School, Keana; the contractor’s name is Calfez Nigeria Limited. We
spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Igyomuh Primary School,
Keana; the contractor’s name is Suleimaniya Integrated Services Limited. We
spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Yelwan Bassan Early
Child Primary School, Kokona; contractor’s name is Dougymarks Nigeria Limited.”</p>



<p>“In 2016, we received N165,000,000.00 which was spent as follows:
N45,000,000.00 was spent on Training of Primary One, Two and one Jolly Phonics;
N78,110,080.00 was spent on Training of Basic Education Teachers and
Administration on Clusters; N20,000,000.00 was spent on Strengthening
Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE); N10,000,000.00 was spent on Training
of LGEA Quality Assurance Teachers; N8,250,000.00 was spent on Training of 165
ECCD Staff, while N3,639,920.00 was spent on LGEA Cluster Support Mechanism
Training.”</p>



<p>“N78,110,080.00 was spent to train 1550 basic education teachers
and school administrators on cluster model in 31 centres in the state. The
training was for 13 weeks. We spent N20,000,000.00 to train 300 teachers to
strengthen mathematics and science education (SMASE). The training was for six
weeks. Also, we spent N10,000,000.00 to train 150 teachers on Quality Assurance
in our schools; the training took 3 weeks. We spent N8,250,000.00 to train 165
teachers on the use of curriculum and teachers’ guide, and instructional
materials; the training took one week.”</p>



<p>“We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Wayo
Primary School, Wamba; the contractor’s name is First Trinity Integrated
Services Limited. We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at
Apringbo Primary School, Doma; the contractor’s name is Honey Darl Pharmacy. We
spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Umme Primary School,
N/Eggon; the contractor’s name is Abufat Global Ventures.”</p>



<p>“We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at
Nahuche Primary School, Nasarawa; the contractor’s name is Nlonnu Global SGL.
We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Pesin Primary
School, Toto; the contractor’s name is Sofian Al-Venture Limited. We spent
N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Mama Pilot Primary School,
Wamba; the contractor’s name is VAASR Multi Venture.  ;We spent
N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Mudu Primary School, Doma;
the contractor’s name is Baba Muha Ventures.”</p>



<p>“We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Saura
Mada Primary School, Kokona; the contractor’s name is Ayime Kweyi Enterprises.
We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Tungan Nupawa
Primary School, Lafia; the contractor’s name is Fas Field Investment Limited.
We spent N13,925,336.36 to construct 3 classrooms block at Angwan Waje Lalle
Primary School, Lafia; the contractor’s name is Husnil Husna Nigeria Limited.”</p>



<p>SERAP said: “We are studying the large documents on spending on
primary schools in Nasarawa State, with several purportedly completed but also
some uncompleted. Our team is analysing the total project sums, comparing the
amounts spent on projects. We will publish the full information on our website
and social media platforms shortly. We have also set up a national verification
group to visit the state and other states of the federation to check the status
of projects against the total amounts reportedly spent and to talk to all the
contractors involved.”</p>



<p>It would be recalled that SERAP had in an FOI request to the
Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board stated that: “Since assuming
office, Nasarawa ;State ;Government has reportedly received over
N3.4billion from Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Nasarawa ;State ;also reportedly received N47.6billion from Federation
Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) in 2018, at an average of N3.97billion
monthly.”</p>



<p>SERAP’s FOI request read in part: “Despite the huge resources
available to the State Government and the massive budgetary allocations to
primary education in Nasarawa ;State ;including from the UBEC funds,
several of the around 1,310 schools across the State are in shambles, and with
very poor teaching facilities, thereby jeopardizing the futures of tens of
thousands of Nigerian children in in the State.”</p>



<p>“Nigeria is also a state party to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Rights, which require states parties to promote transparency and
accountability in the spending on education, and take steps to improve and
expand quality and free education for all.”</p>

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