Lawmakers move to increase UBEC funding to 4%

Afor the amendment of the Universal Basic Education Commission ( UBEC) Act to increase its funding from the consolidated revenue from two to four per cent has passed a second reading in the House of Representatives.

Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Bako Useni, made this known during the committee’s oversight function at the Digital Resource Centre, Abuja.

The digital resource centre is to provide quality digital educational content for schools across the country, as well as contemporary capacity building for relevant actors in the education sector, which would lead to qualitative basic education delivery.

The centre is particularly focused on providing digital content and e- resources for UBEC model smart schools across the federation.

Useni said the lawmakers saw the need to increase financial resources to the basic education sub- sector, for set objectives to be further met, hence, the amendment bill to increase revenue accruing to UBEC from two to four per cent.

He said the committee was delighted with what they saw at the digital resource centre and has always been its desire to ensure that newer dimensions are introduced to the sub- sector.

He assured that the committee would ensure continuous oversight function for the sustainability of the centre like all others under its mandate. “We have also assured of our collaboration and support through budget allocations to ensure that funds provided are used for the betterment of Nigerians.

Executive Secretary of the commission, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, said the centre was established to move digital education to the next level.