APC group hails Bello on education as UBEB counts blessings

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) said it has rehabilitated 400 classrooms, constructed 125 block of four-bedroom classrooms and supplied more than 10,000 text books to schools in the territory.
Acting Chairman of the board, Dr Hassan Sule, disclosed this to newsmen last week in Abuja.
The development came as a media group of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) lauded FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, for verifiable physical and other accomplishments in education, for which it scored him highly.


A report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the UBEB Chairman as saying: “So far, from my little survey, I observed that more than 400 classrooms have already been rehabilitated and about 125 construction of block of three and four bedroom classrooms have already been completed.
“And we supplied more than 10,000 textbooks to schools, supplied Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) materials and COVID-19 sanitizers were actually procured and distributed to schools.”
The Chairman said the board had ensured that all the contracts awarded for either construction or rehabilitation of school structures were executed as specified in the bill of quantities.


According to him, “I personally inspect such projects and where I am not satisfied, I do instruct the contractor in charge to ensure that the right thing is done.
“And glory be to Allah that most of the contracts awarded between 2018 and 2019 actually followed specifications because any projects that did not follow specifications, I don’t entertain payment for such contract.
“And most contractors are already aware; we already made it clear that any contractor that gives us an under-expected project, such contractor will be blacklisted whenever we are giving out any contract.’


On e-learning, Dr Sule said that the board was promoting the trend with support of FCTA Education Secretariat, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Abuja Broadcasting Corporation, owners of Aso Radio and Television.
His words: “We are able to start airing some of our programmes through Aso Radio and Television on Tuesdays and Saturdays between the hours of 1:40p.m. and 3: 35p.m. Those in remote areas were given radio to listen and this has greatly improved and impacted on communities because some children that dropped out of school now develop interest when they see some of their peers listening to radio.


“They started coming back to school. We have also intensified efforts to ensure that the incidence of out of school children is reduced by sensitizing communities that basic education is free.
“Even if a child doesn’t have uniform, he or she can wear native clothes to come to school.
“The most important thing is that every child has the right to be educated and such right should not be abused.”
Meanwhile, a group, the APC Federal Government (FG) UBE Projects Inspection Team, has lauded FG and FCTA’s performance in the development of basic education in the country.


Team Leader, Dr Tom Ohikere, made the commendation shortly after conducting an assessment tour of UBEB projects in FCT, last week.
He said that the group was a core media support group of the APC, officially mandated to assess the activities, achievements and milestones of states, including FCT, controlled by the party.
Dr Ohikere stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is accelerating the much needed pace of giving the Nigerian child a world class education “that is scientifically-driven”.


He said: “We have visited Kebbi, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa states and the FCT.
“The emanating results so far indicate that APC is performing extremely well in the development of basic education in the country.”
The Team Lead added that the assessment of UBEB projects in FCT showed ”an amazing commitment” of the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, to improve basic education facilities.


Giving an assessment of the schools visited by the team, Dr Ohikere said: “The rehabilitation of facilities at Junior Secondary School Kado Kuchi and the construction of classrooms at the nomadic school to serve the underserved communities, to get quality education, is worthy of commendation.
“Furthermore, the amazing initiative of the APC- led administration in establishing Smart Schools tagged Model 1 Schools, also deserves commendation.
“The FCT Model 1 Schools projects, which is a UBEC direct intervention, was above 50 per cent completion at Karshi satellite community in the FCT.”