Oyo State Government, in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has selected 66 public primary schools from the three senatorial districts in Oyo State, to benefit from UBEC School Based Management Committee-School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP).
This, the Government revealed is part of UBEC’s new strategy to involve communities in the management of schools.
The Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran, revealed this while speaking with members of the various School-Based Management Committees across the State in his office today.
Adeniran enjoined them to adhere strictly to the action plans approved by the Commission and see the opportunity as a mandate to serve their communities selflessly.
The Chairman charged management of the benefiting schools to make judicious use of the funds disbursed to them to improve the standard of education in the state, while he disclosed that, the project is dear to Governor Seyi Makinde’s heart.
“I urge you to please spend the funds disbursed to you judiciously and spend it on the action plans approved by UBEC, as every kobo would be accounted for”, he said.
He therefore warned them to be wary of anyone who may extort them, with the claim that OyoSUBEB was asking for ‘returns’.
According to him, “Our attention has been drawn to activities of syndicates extorting money from unsuspecting SBMC members under the pretence of returns for the management of the board”. “Please disregard such information, as it is false and misleading”, he said.
He stressed that anybody fingered in the extortion would be investigated and appropriately dealt with within the full ambits of the law.
Describing the programme as a boost to the School-Based Management Committee – School Improvement Programme, (SBMC-SIP), Dr. Adeniran noted that the policy is a strategy which would create opportunities for SBMCs to manage the schools in their respective communities.
Dr. Adeniran also expressed optimism that the programmes would increase enrolment, retention, completion and transition in the basic education sub sector, as well as help address out-of-school-children in the State.
“As we look into ways of addressing the challenges of out-of- school children in the State, it is our belief that this programme would go a long way to increase enrolments in our public schools”, he opined.
“This Policy would strengthen partnership between our public schools and communities they are in. It would further improve these schools, and encourage community leaders around schools to be involved in the planning, management and maintenance of school properties”, he concluded.
