International Day Of Education: NGO Seeks 5 Percent Increase In Education Budget In Kebbi

The Albino Foundation Public Notice

The Executive Director of a non-governmental Organization in Kebbi State, women’s Right Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Comrade Nasiru Idris has sought for Kebbi State government to increase education budgetary allocation by 5 percent every year.

He made the appealed during the courtesy visit of the organization to Kebbi State Governor as part of activities to commemoration the international day of education by WRAPA in the state.

Idris explained that the right to basic education is a fundamental human right recognized in the universal declaration of human rights (1948) and in the UN Convention on the rights of the child (CRC), which was ratified by Nigeria in 1991.

According to him,” education sector in Nigeria faces numerous challenges such as inadequate funding and lack of transparency and accountability in the sector. The Universal Basic Education Act (2004) was there for a good way to bridge the funding gap by ensuring a provision of 2 percent funding from the consolidated revenue of the national government to be shared at 50 percent counterpart funding by the states and the federal government provide a 50 percent matching grant, and the 36 states including FCT to benefit from the grant on an equal basis”.

The Executive Director WRAPA, equally said this year’s international day of Education with the theme ”To invest in people, prioritize Education” comes timely as the accountability for good governance in education cluster.

He noted that, the NGO will be commemorating the day with a town hall meeting in Kwara, FCT and Ebonyi states, education symposium in Kano and a rally in Kebbi where citizens will be educated using the developed citizen participation policy on how to actively participate in the education budgeting process, emphasis on state universal Basic Education boards work plan and budget.

Idris, said “we know governor Bagudu’s administration has made a tremendous efforts to salvage the education sector in the state”, in the area of payment of N19 Billion as matching grant fund from UBEC which resulted to construction of 1,250 of classrooms, 600 unit of WC toilets, 150 motorized hand pumps and 2,200 of classrooms was renovated” .

He therefore Urged government of the state to increase 5 percent education budgetary every year in the state as well as also implement all pending promotions of primary school teachers across the 21 LGA of the State.

He However advocating for the additional counterpart funding for UBEC matching grant projects.

In his remarks, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG)Alhaji Umar Babale Yauri, expressed the government readiness to ensure that education remained the backbone of the society.

Bagudu said:”we most assists our children education, what this association is advocating for, every responsible government most adopt it. This present administration has done a lot and also invested heavily on education sector in the state.

” Equally, State government has renovated and provided adequate equipment to many primary schools across 21LGAs. Also, there have been recruitment of volunteer teachers under BESDA programme with a view to render support services to Quranic integrated schools for nine months”.

He assured WRAPA that government of the state, will do more most particularly on the area of budget increase from five percent to ten percent stressed that, state government will pay it matching grant promptly.