By Rita Iliya
The Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) says it has returnef 224, 879 out-of-school children to classrooms through Better Education Service Delivery for All (BASDA) from 2019 to-date.
NSUBEB Chairman Sai’du Ibrahim announced this at a news conference on Wednesday in Minna, saying that those returned were mostly girls and Almajira children.
He said that the board paid N400 million as outstanding four months BASDA arrears to 400 local facilitators targeted at addressing issues out of school children in the state.
Ibrahim said that 87 technical staff of the board were trained to build their capacity on effective monitoring for better performance as well as improve basic education in the state.
He said that the board successfully paid outstanding July salaries of teachers in Gbako and Shiroro local government areas, adding that the board was not owing any teacher in the state.
The chairman said that Gov. Abubakar Sani-Bello of the state approved payment of more than N2 billion as 2019, 2020 and 2021 backlog of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
He said that the board recently established 24 additional junior secondary schools across the three senatorial district and three primary schools, procured and distribute weekly registers, diary, admission registers and chalk for schools across the state.
He added that the board recently reintroduced monthly payment of imprest to education secretaries and recruited teachers to fill the manpower gaps in some local government areas.
He also said that plans were underway to establish modern science primary schools starting with four local government areas as pilot.
He added that some staff of the board would be sent to Sokoto State to learn from the state on how successfully the project was implemented.
Ibrahim noted that the board would continue to prioritise welfare of staff through training and retraining for better performance, adding that all pending issues bordering the board had been addressed.
He, however, commended Gov. Sani-Bello for providing enabling environment for the board to operate, adding that the board would prioritise effective monitoring and supervision of schools in 2023.(NAN)