UBE Act: Reps Seek To Lower Counterpart Funds For States

If the amendment to the free and compulsory Universal Basic Education Act 2004, scales through in the House of Representatives, states counterpart fund will reduce.

The bill, which passed second reading on Thursday, seeks to amend Section 11 of the 2004 law was necessitated by the inability of most states to provide the 50 per cent counterpart funds required by law to access their annual federal allocations through UBEC.

A member of the House of Representatives and sponsor of the Bill, Hon. Afe Olowookere, APC-Ondo, argued that counterpart funding by states should be reduced from 50 to 25 per cent as the high matching grant had resulted in the backlog un-accessed lying unused in the Central Bank.

He said the importance of education in the life of human beings, the application of free basic education should not be negotiated.

It is said that only two states: Borno and Rivers, have been able to fully meet these requirements and duly enjoy the benefits of the scheme; this is indeed worrisome.

While supporting the amendment of Billm, Hon. Aishatu Dukku pointed out that the inability of States to access these funds was responsible for why so many children go to school in dilapidated structures.

Also speaking, Hon. Tahir Monguno wondered why states which see education as a priority fail to pay up their counterpart funding when an insecurity-ravaged state like Borno can meet up.

He urged for more commitment from States.

The Bill was voted on, passed for second reading and referred to the Committee on Basic Education and Services.