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General news

Nasarawa Assembly tasks SUBEB on projects execution

Nasarawa Assembly tasks SUBEB on projects execution
NAN-HG-5
Supervision
By Awayi Kuje
Kokona (Nasarawa State), Aug. 22, 2017 (NAN) The Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Education has tasked the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to ensure full execution of school projects.
The Chairman, Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Mr Daniel Ogazi, gave the task while inspecting selected school projects in Kokona Local Government Area of the state.
Ogazi (APC-Kokona East) enjoined the board to adopt an effective supervision of all the ongoing school projects to ensure quality work by contractors.
He warned that the legislature would reject any sub-standard building and roofing materials used by any contractor, advising that they should ensure that work was done according to specification.
The lawmaker faulted the roofing design of three blocks of classrooms at Bokoko Local Education Authority (LEA), promising to draw attention of the consultant of the project for redress.
He also advised contractors handling different projects in the state to ensure quick delivery of quality work.
“The committee will continue to embark on its oversight functions to ensure quality work by contractors to justify government’s huge investment in the education sector.
“I want to use this medium to advise the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and contractors handling school projects against shoddy work and other sharp practices.
“We are tasking the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on effective supervision of all ongoing schools projects to ensure that quality work is done by contractors.
“We are not going to fold our hands and watch contractors or anybody to sabotage the efforts of government in improving the standard of education.
“We will reject any sub-standard job in the interest of the education sector and the overall development of the state,’’ he said.
He reiterated the commitment of the legislators to the enactment of people oriented laws that would fast track the development of the state.
The committee chairman called on the people of the area to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee inspected school projects at Maisori and Bokoko, all in Kokona local government area of the state. (NAN)
AKW/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Plateau SUBEB rejects 2 blocks of classrooms, says they are substandard

NAN-H-46
Classrooms
By Martha Agas
Pankshin(Plateau), April 4, 2017(NAN) The Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board on Tuesday rejected two blocks of classrooms meant for inauguration at the Government Model School, Pankshin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the board’s Chairman, Prof. Mathew Sule, who was expected to inaugurate the project, declined, immediately he sighted the classrooms.

“This is a bad job; it does not meet our standards. We will not compromise standards because we want structures that will be used for a long time,” a miffed Sule declared.

The official advised contractors to comply with specified standards for constructing and renovating the classrooms, and vowed that any job found to be poorly executed would be rejected.

Sule, who had so far inaugurated 285 classrooms in various schools, advised parents, community and religious leaders to monitor the progress and quality of the projects.

“The schools and the structures belong to the host communities. They should be interested in what is happening,” he said.

Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), who also expressed anger over the quality of the job, urged the teachers and school authorities to monitor the projects and safeguard those inaugurated.

Bobboyi, who was represented by Mrs. Mary Zakka, UBEC Coordinator in Plateau, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment towards providing a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning.

Mr Azi Atu, Chairman, Education Secretaries’ Forum in Plateau, who also spoke at the occasion, commended the Plateau government for ensuring prompt payment of salaries and encouraging capacity building through workshops.

In his response, a community leader, Mr Ajiji Azi, applauded government for building more classes, and called for  more infrastructure in schools located in rural areas. (NAN)
MAA/OSA/ETS

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Edited by Shittu Obassa and Ephraims Sheyin

General news

Pupils’ inability to read and write worries Plateau SUBEB boss

 

NAN-H-40

Pupils

By Martha Agas

Jos, March 14, 2017(NAN) The Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), has expressed disappointment over the “worsening illiteracy among pupils in public primary schools”.

“We have visited some primary schools and found that many of the pupils in the senior classes cannot read or write.

“Many of them cannot read basic books not to talk of writing letters,” its Chairman, Prof. Mathew Sule, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday in Jos.

He said that SUBEB had taken stringent measures to change the tide which he described as “embarrassing”.

“As part  of efforts to change the situation, SUBEB has organised a 3-day training on `jolly phonics’ in Jos, for 700 teachers across the state,” he said.

Sule explained that jolly phonics referred to a fun and child-centred approach to the teaching of literacy, using alphabet codes of English language.

“The strategy involves plays and dances; the idea is to help the children to playfully learn to pronounce, read and write,” he explained.

Pointing out that teachers were charged with transmitting knowledge, he noted that the workshop on jolly phonics would enhance their skills and fast track apt understanding and assimilation of the ‘read and write’ culture.

He said that the training was a Federal Government intervention to ensure that pupils could read and write at the foundation levels of education.

Sule particularly noted that quality education was key to the development of core values and integrity of young people.

“Quality education will address problems like dishonesty, abductions, corruption, prostitution and other nefarious  acts because core values will be enshrined in the system,” he said.

Mr Nicholas  Ochojila, the Training Manager of Universal Learning Solutions, handlers of the training, told NAN that the organisation was partnering with UK Jolly Learning for the exercise.

“Those being trained were selected based on their performance in the 2015 jolly  phonics training; we want to establish a structure so that the training can trickle down long after we are gone,” he said.

A participant, Mrs. Talatu Francis, from Jos Township Primary school, who spoke on the training, said that it had improved her pronunciation.

“Now, I can sing many songs with the sounds and alphabets,” she said. (NAN)

MAA/ETS

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Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

General news

SUBEB earmarks N7.5bln for infrastructure development in Cross River

NAN-H-63
SUBEB
By Dianabasi Effiong
Calabar, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) The Cross River State Basic Education Board (SUBEB) says it will spend N7.5 billion for projects under the 2012-2015 Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Matching Grant.

The Executive Chairman of the Board, Dr Stephen Odey, made this known in Calabar at a news conference on activities of SUBEB.

He said SUBEB had invited reputable contractors with good record of performance and experience to tender for the jobs.

According to him, more than 200 projects, including the construction of new school blocks will begin as soon as procurement process is completed.

He said “the Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has approved N3.8 billion to enable us to access the Matching Grant which was lying unused with UBEC.

“There was an excess fund that was left with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 2012 to 2015, which we could not access but this administration has been able to access it.

“Schools are being built across the state. The Special Education Fund from 2013 to 2015 has been accessed with infrastructure erected in our special education centres across the state.

“We have advertised the entire job for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.  We shall use contractors without any record of job abandonment and those who are competent. We will be very prudent and transparent in our operations.’’

He said that SUBEB also had reasonable amount in its account domiciled in a commercial bank.

“In our statement of account with Heritage Bank, we have no less than N7.5 billion. Nobody will access that money because it is tied to projects,’’ he said.

Odey said that SUBEB’s action plan for 2013, 2014, and 2015 currently under review had been signed by the Executive Secretary of UBEC himself and Director, Legal Services of UBEC.

The Chairman explained that the action plan was fully defended and attested to by the UBEC Technical Team.

According to Odey, nobody will misappropriate the projects’ fund which are jointly monitored by UBEC and SUBEB.

“I have also written to EFCC, ICPC and the Attorney General, inviting them to monitor these processes.

He said that Gov. Ayade of Cross River had recently approved the employment of 1,000 teachers across the state to replace retired and late teachers.

He added that “from October last year to now, we have recorded 520 dead and retired teachers.’’

He noted that the present administration was packaging programmes for both SUBEB staff and teachers to drive basic education.

The executive chairman said modalities for check and balances had been put in place for the running of the board.

He said the board had bought plastic chairs and desks to replace aging wooden desks in schools across the state. (NAN)
DOE/HA
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)