The Federal Government in collaboration with five international development agencies have disclosed that a whopping $500million will be made available for the provision of critical infrastructure and man power development to boost Universal Basic Education UBEC, in the country.
Part of the amount which is $250million has existed as a special UBEC fund accessible by the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Mr. Godon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Special Envoy to the United Nation’s Secretary General stated this today at a one day summit on education held at the banquet hall of the presidential villa.
The summit is on accelerating progress in the attainment of Education for all in Nigeria organized by the Global Business Coalition on Education Interventions to support access and quality of Education.
According to Brown, the international community has clearly shown commitment to contribute through the additional resources to support the development of universal basic education in Nigeria.
He said the United States Agency for International Development, USAID working closely with his group has agreed to raise the sum of $100m while another $100 is to be provided by the head of the Global Partnership for education.
“I have also talked to the head of the Development Commission of the European Union, and they say that if the government of Nigeria will submit an application, then 10% of the resources they have will be devoted to education Investment in Nigeria. So it is important to make this application”.
“The federal government of Nigeria has accepted to contribute the sum of $250million available for investment in education, what we have managed to do by talking to individuals, is to match that $250million with additional $250 million” he explained.
President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented at the summit by Vice President Namadi Sambo later met with Godon Brown privately in his office where he assured of Federal Government’s commitment to the effective implementation of policies and measures that will ensure that Nigerian youth receive qualitative education capable of equipping them with essential skills and competencies required by employers.
The President said that his administration will continue to evolve and execute programmes and actions to improve access to quality education across the country in furtherance of its efforts to create a highly skilled and competitive work-force.
He noted that in addition to providing the $250 Million required to match the amount raised by international donors towards giving more Nigerian youth access to basic education, the federal government will also provide all possible support to state governments to ensure that they are able to access the new funds and put them to appropriate use.
“Thank you for helping us in this area. Education is critical to making our youth more employable. The Coordinating Minister of the Economy/Finance and the Minister of Education will work with the states to make sure that the programme succeeds,” the President Jonathan told Mr. Brown.
Present at the summit were governors Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Peter Obi of Anambra state, Idris Wada of Kogi state and Comrade Adams Oshiomole of Edo state.
