The Imo State Government has paid N3.8 billion, being the three-year arrears of counterpart funding to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the state Governor on Public Enlightenment, Prince Eze Ugochukwu, said the amount represented the arrears owed the commission in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Ugochukwu quoted the Commissioner for Education, Prof Viola Onwuliri, as saying that former governor Rochas Okorocha stopped paying UBEC counterpart funds since 2016.
Onwuliri, who spoke while on a working visit to the lmo State Universal Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB) Headquarters, Owerri, noted the need for the board to ensure school premises are fenced in order avoid encroachment and burglary.
The education commissioner decried the alarming rate of allegations of racketeering and extortion among IMSUBEB staff with regards to the ongoing employments and the award of contracts.
She reiterated that the employment process would be transparent and merit based while adding that proficiency in Igbo language and qualifications in Education would be added advantages.
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The Executive Chairman of the Board, Prof. Obioma lheduru, stated that the Board is concerned with basic education which is the foundation for learning.
He said that IMSUBEB is an offshoot of UBEC, with 50 percent funding from the Federal Government and 50 percent from the State Government.
He said the Board is presently accessing the 2016 and 2017 funds from both the Federal and State Governments, as a total of 275 projects have been identified out of which 175 are new ones.
He added that over 200 school buildings cutting across the 305 electoral wards in the State have been earmarked for renovation.
He also said there are 1,283 Primary Schools in the State with over 300,000 teachers, out of which 3,900 of them have retired in the last three years. Prof.
Iheduru stated that the Board under his watch is poised to sanitize the system as those engaged in corrupt and illegal activities have been identified and retired.
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