Ekiti govt prioritises basic education, pays N7.3bn UBEC projects fund — SUBEB Chair
Ekiti state government, on Tuesday, said that its payment of N7.3bn Universal Basic Education (UBEC) counterpart fund was part of its intervention to reposition the education sector.
The Chairman, Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Femi Akinwumi disclosed this while briefing journalists on the commission’s activities geared towards uplifting basic education in the State.
According to him, the N7.3 billion payment was for the execution of projects in public primary and secondary schools in the last two years, approved by Gov. Kayode Fayemi to prioritise basic education and turn around the education sector.
The SUBEB chairman assured that the state’s public schools would be remodeled to attract influx of pupils from private schools, a situation which, he said, had begun manifesting across the state.
He said, “I am a product of public school, same with several other accomplished academics and professionals across Ekiti. So we have to do our best to reposition public schools in Ekiti.
“Governor Fayemi has the interest of basic education at heart. He has been doing a lot to promote that cadre of education by building structures, providing instructional materials and trainings to teachers .
“If the State had been able to pay a sum of N 7.3 billion counterpart funding within two years, then you would know how committed we are to education.
“For four years in Ekiti, which was between 2014 and 2018, there was no construction, no training at the level of SUBEB, but the present administration has been able to change that.
“By 2021, you will see model colleges springing up in Ekiti. We got four model schools in 2020 named after prominent Ekiti indigenes. They are Prof. Banji Akinyoye, Sen. Ayo Fasanmi, Chief Deji Fasuan and Prof. David Oke. All the schools are fully occupied by pupils.
“We are trying to depopulate the private schools, because people are beginning to move in droves to the public primary and secondary schools, having seen the rising quality of education in Ekiti public schools.”
