The state governors have failed to access N46.2 billion earmarked for basic education by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

This was revealed by the acting Executive Secretary, UBEC, Professor Bala Zakari, during the presentation of the Universal Basic Education fund implementation report on Wednesday in Abuja.

This has resulted in a lack of funding for basic education, despite Nigeria having one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world. The figure of N46.2 billion was obtained from the report presented by the acting Executive Secretary of UBEC, Professor Bala Zakari.

The report indicated that no allocations have been made to affected states for the year 2023, and the grants continue to be unutilized. The report stated that between 2019 and 2022, a total sum of N162.28 billion was allocated to the states as UBE grants, out of which only N116.07 billion was accessed by 36 states and the FCT, Abuja, representing 71.52% as of April 30, 2023.

The report also revealed that as of April 30, 2023, N46.21 billion is the total un-accessed UBE matching grants by the 36 states and the FCT. Only 11 states have accessed the 2022 matching grant fund.

Regarding the levels of UBE matching grants accessed by states, in 2019, 35 states and the FCT accessed the 2019 allocation, with one state (Anambra) yet to access the grant as of April 30, 2023. In 2020 matching grant, 30 states and the FCT accessed matching grants.

Six states, namely Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Kwara, and Ogun, are yet to access the 2020 UBE matching grant as of April 30, 2023. In 2021 matching grants, 11 states, namely Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Ondo, Taraba, and Zamfara, have accessed the grant. Twenty-five states and the FCT are yet to access the 2022 UBE matching grant as of April 30, 2023.

Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, emphasized the importance of state governors accessing UBEC’s fund for its projects to enhance the nation’s basic education sector. He also stressed the need to ensure that government-released funds are utilized for the purpose they were intended.