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Primary Schools In Anambra Get 5bn Naira For Facility Upgrade

The Anambra State government has released five billion Naira (about $30.3 million) for continued rehabilitation of both public and mission schools in the state. The … Continue reading Primary Schools In Anambra Get 5bn Naira For Facility Upgrade


The Anambra State government has released five billion Naira (about $30.3 million) for continued rehabilitation of both public and mission schools in the state.

The revitalisation fund is coming just one week after the presentation of five billion Naira Conditional Grant Scheme for accelerated execution of projects in various local government areas of the state towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

In a ceremony at the Women Development Centre in Awka, the state governor, Mr Peter Obi, who presented the cheque alongside the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr Suleman Dikko, announced that his administration, though gradually coming to an end, would ensure total transformation of the education sector in the state.

The pupils from the 1,041 primary schools in the state gave a resounding ovation to the governor as he came into the auditorium of the Women Development Centre with the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for the disbursement of five billion Naira infrastructural development cheques.

When the Anambra State governor handed over schools previously owned by missions back to them in 2011, he resolved to provide continued financial resources to assist in the renovation and reconstruction of the dilapidated buildings in those schools.

According to the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Uju Okeke, the governor had embarked on procurement of school buses, laptops and instructional materials.

“Presently over 250,000 and over 400 buses have been distributed to schools. There are geared towards producing high quality brains and better leaders of tomorrow,” Dr Okeke said.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Dikko, maintained that the educational policy of Anambra State was one to be copied because of the direct impact it had on the people.

The country Director of United Nations International Children’s Education Fund, UNICEF, Charles Nzuki, urged all to invest in education.

While over 1.6 billion Naira went to the Catholic Mission primary schools, over 1.1 billion Naira went to the Anglican and another 2.3 billion Naira went to the public schools.

The leaders of the churches, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke and Rt. Rev. Christian Efobi thanked the governor for the gesture.

The chairman of Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB, Nzemeka Olisa, said that the funds would have enormous impact on the standard of education and the schools.

Over the past years, Governor Peter Obi has embarked on direct disbursement of funds to schools, an initiative that has led to numerous successes being achieved in schools.

Presently UNICEF has selected Anambra state out of the states of the southeast for Private Public Partnership, PPP, which will be launched in March this year.