Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Niger Assembly Committee on Education says only 7 per cent of 2019 education allocation released to the ministry
Niger State House Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology says only 7 per cent of N840.516 million education allocation of the 2019 budget was released to the state Ministry of Education.
Malam Suleiman Gambo, Chairman of the Committee and Member Representing Paiko Constituency, disclosed this during the presentation of a report at a plenary in Minna on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the house had in August mandated the committee to perform oversight function by interfacing with stakeholders.
They were also mandated to visit affected schools to ascertain the level of development and areas needing improvement.
Gambo explained that the committee discovered that many primary, junior and secondary schools across the state were dilapidated.
He added that the dilapidation was caused by natural disasters, while others were as a result of neglect.
The chairman also said that N1.3 billion spent by the state government to renovate nine schools under the Whole School Development Approach, three out of those schools were yet to be completed.
He listed the schools not renovated to include; Government Day Science College, Baro, Government Girls Secondary School, Tegina and Mu’azu Ibrahim Commercial Secondary School, Kontagora.
Gambo added that there was inadequate furniture for teachers and pupils as about 70 per cent of pupils in primary schools were sitting on bare floors.
Reading the recommendations of the committee, Mr Abdullahi Wuse, Speaker of the House, said the ministry and the state SUBEB should engage to see to the development of the education sector in the state.
Wuse also urged proper monitoring while carrying out rehabilitation of schools especially in rural areas to reduce cost.
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