With a total disbursement of N57 billion in 13 years, the Nigerian government has channeled substantial funds into UBEC, emphasizing its ongoing efforts to invest in and enhance the quality of basic education.
During the ongoing National Conference on Teacher Professional Development in Abuja, UBEC Executive Secretary Hamid Bobboyi shared this information.
He mentioned that the funds were distributed to all states across Nigeria over the past 13 years.
Bobboyi emphasized that despite the significant amount disbursed, it is insufficient to meet the training requirements of teachers.
He pointed out that the states relying heavily on federal funding for Teacher Professional Development (TPD) without contributing adequately is a significant challenge in ensuring quality learning outcomes at the basic education level.
Expressing concern about the lack of teacher training in recent years, Bobboyi cited the UBEC 2022 National Personnel Audit, which revealed that 67.5% of teachers in public schools and 85.3% in private schools had not participated in any in-service training between 2018 and 2022.
He stressed that this prevailing situation negatively impacts the delivery of quality education.
Bobboyi also expressed his dismay regarding the unfavorable learner/pupil ratio in Nigerian schools, which has resulted in poor learning outcomes.
Funds Not Yielding Results
Last year, Bobboyi faulted how funds have been disbursed without yielding remarkable results.
In a typical year, excluding the COVID-19-affected year of 2020, UBEC dispenses billions of naira annually, he said in a statement.
Based on the statement, each state receives a minimum of around N1.5 billion (presumably Nigerian Naira) individually, while the total amount disbursed across all states is at least N3 billion per year.
However, the concern raised by Bobboyi is regarding the effectiveness of the funds allocated to states and agencies for implementing basic education.
The statement questions how much of the money and resources actually reach the classroom level and make a tangible difference in teaching and learning.
Bobboyi expresses worry that success is often measured solely by the amount of money disbursed rather than the impact on education.
Despite providing resources like textbooks to states, the process of distributing these materials to schools seems to face challenges. Textbooks are sometimes left locked up in headmasters’ offices, awaiting instructions from the ministries on how to proceed.
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