FG to crack down on substandard school buildings across Nigeria

By Sodiq Adelakun

The Federal Government has pledged a stringent crackdown on the construction of substandard school buildings nationwide.

This commitment was announced on Monday by Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC),  Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, during a staff training session at the UBEC Digital Resource Centre in Abuja.

The training, conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) and Tectonics Engineering Group, focused on enhancing the quality of school infrastructure using advanced assessment tools.

Bobboyi emphasised that UBEC would no longer tolerate poor-quality execution of educational projects, underscoring the critical importance of robust and safe school facilities.

“Educational infrastructures are sensitive projects that must be handled with the ultimate sense of responsibility,” Bobboyi stated, stressing that any lapses in construction could jeopardise the safety of children and school staff.

He cited the recent collapse of a school building in Jos as a cautionary example, though it was not a UBEC-sponsored project.

The UBEC Executive Secretary highlighted that funds, though limited, must be used effectively to deliver solid projects. The Commission plans to deploy monitors to oversee construction sites and ensure adherence to quality standards.

Director-General/CEO of NBRRI, Professor Samson Duna, supported the initiative, emphasising that the training would help prevent future building collapses by ensuring contractors use the correct materials and meet specifications.

He warned contractors to comply with required standards or face consequences.