Enugu receives N1.9bn UBE intervention fund

Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB) has received state counterpart fund as well as the UBE matching grant worth one billion, nine hundred and four million, five hundred and ninety four thousand, five hundred and ninety four naira sixty kobo, (N1,904,594,594.60,) for construction and rehabilitation of classrooms, offices, toilets, provision of chairs as well as recreational materials for the execution of the 2014 Action Plan.
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Human Development Initiative (HDI), in conjunction with United States of America, (USAID), made the disclosure at a public dialogue on the outcome of comparative analysis of (ENSUBEB) 2014 Action Plan and Projects Implementation held in Enugu, Wednesday.
According to the group, the Fund covered mainly three components which include Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCDE); Primary and Junior Secondary School.
A breakdown of the figure shows that Early Childhood Care and Development,(ECCDE), was allocated N95, 229,729.73; Primary Education, N1,142,756,756.76, while Junior Secondary was allocated, N666,608,108.11 respectively.
The group noted that in the year under review, some contractors used quality materials for the execution of the projects while some others used substandard materials while some projects were not executed at all, whereas some projects were diverted to other the areas mapped out in the Action Plan.
They lamented that some schools visited in this 21st century have dilapidated buildings which are threats to the lives of the pupils, students, teachers and other staff.
To ensure that quality jobs are done and projects delivered in time, the group charged ENSUBEB to beef up supervision of building contractors and to include Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), Community Development Associations, (CDAs), the Media and Civil Society Organisations, (CSOs) in the supervision “from foundation level to the final state to mitigate the reoccurrence of the use of substandard materials for infrastructural projects that could endanger lives.” The Board, ENSUBEB, among other things, was charged to recruit more qualified teachers and provide furniture, toilets, fences, school gates and security to make the schools environment conducive for learning.
It was also charged to sustain full compliance to the Public Procurement Act, PPA and to publicise call to bids, report evaluation to bids, give details to award of contracts and post contract activities to enhance transparency and accountability

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