How Senate guaranteed girl-child rights, education

Against the backdrop of the International Day of the Girl last week, EZREL TABIOWO, relives how the amendment to the UBEC Act by the Senate guaranteed the rights of the girl-child to compulsory education.
The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, last week joined the world in celebrating the 2017 commemoration of the International Day of the Girl (IDG2017).
Saraki, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, stated that IDG2017 is an opportunity for law and policy-makers, community leaders and families to re-evaluate, highlight and scrutinize the unique challenges that girls across Nigeria face.
“All around the world, organizations and communities are coming together to celebrate the role of girls and women in our societies as we commemorate the 2017 International Day of the Girl.
“In order for our collective objective of having a Nigeria with empowered citizens — both men and women — to be realized, we must all come together at all levels of governance to ensure that girls and women across the country have increased access to quality education, affordable healthcare, and safe homes and communities.
According to the Senate President, “The 8th Senate is taking steps to alleviate the prevalent problems in this regard. The passage of the UBEC Act amendment bill will increase access to education for more young girls across Nigeria.
“In this regard, we join the world today in committing to redouble our efforts to improve the quality of life for our girls. We also hope to continue to provide a stable socio-economic environment that will help them further their aspirations and dreams,” he stated.
Amendment of UBEC
Earlier in July this year, Senate in its bid to guarantee Girl-Child rights and access to education, amended the Universal Education Act to ease pressure on states in accessing funds for infrastructure development in schools.
Senator Aliyu Wamakko, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, while speaking on the amendment to the UBEC Act, said the Compulsory, Free, Universal Education Act 2004 was amended by the upper chamber, and now has provision which made primary and secondary education free and compulsory in the country.
“It seeks to increase the block grant contribution of the federal government to education, just as it seeks to reduce the contribution of the state governments.
“This is aimed at reducing the current situation where most states are unable to access the grant owing to their inability to contribute the 50 per cent of the total cost of projects as its commitment in its execution.
“The two per cent budgetary allocation to Universal Basic Education Commission by the Central Government is now increased to three per cent. The bill provides free and compulsory education for all Nigerian children from primary up to secondary schools,” he said.
The UBE scheme came into effect in 2005 in order to usher in free and qualitative education to all children in public primary and junior secondary schools, by providing them with modern school facilities as well as ensuring the availability of qualified teachers.
Since the UBEC amendment was passed at the Senate, the upper chamber has received commendations from various domestic and international advocacy groups and individuals, including Malala Yousafzai – the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate – who commended the 8th Senate, and thanked its President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki for working to extend the right to free education in Nigeria.
Impact of UBEC Amendment on Education
Meanwhile, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has stated that Senate’s amendment of the Act that establishes the Compulsory Universal Basic Education will provide all 36 States of Nigeria with needed funds to enhance the quality of education in the country.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said that for many years, many States had been unable to access the intervention funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), due to their inability to pay the 50 per cent matching grant prescribed by the Act.
The Senate President stated that the upper chamber’s amendment of the bill was in-line with its commitment to ensure that education is improved at all levels across the country.
“Let’s get this clear,” the Senate President said, “As things stand, with over 10.5 million out of school children in the country, most states across the Federation cannot meet the required commitment of 50 per cent to access their UBEC funds.
“There is absolutely no point having over N60 billion of basic education funds lying idle, because the States — due to other necessary commitments — cannot provide the counterpart funding for UBEC.
“This is why the Senate amendment is a downward review from 50 per cent to 10 per cent. What we are doing is telling the states that ‘Look, education is important, we know that you cannot commit the full 50 per cent to UBEC, however, if you can bring 10 per cent of the counterpart funds, you will be able to access this money to improve the quality of basic education.
“This will go a long way in taking many more of our children off the streets and back in the classrooms where they belong,” Saraki said.
On his part, the Senator representing Sokoto North, Senator Aliyu Wammako, the sponsor of the bill, was of the view that the Senate’s amendment would ease pressure on states in accessing funds for infrastructure development.
Wamakko, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, stated that the Compulsory, Free, Universal Basic Education Act of 2004, was amended with a clause that will make primary and secondary education free and compulsory across the country.
“It seeks to increase the block grant contribution of the federal government to education,” the Senator said, “Just as it seeks to reduce the contribution of the state governments.”

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