Nigeria: Over 1000 schools need reconstruction and modern equipment, says Kwara State Governor

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has disclosed that over 1000 schools need reconstruction and equipment with modern teaching facilities across the 16 local government areas of the state. 

Speaking through a statement issued by Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor said the administration has activated plans to gradually fix the facilities, equip them, and train and motivate teachers to guarantee quality basic education in the state.

According to him, We have over 1000 schools which need to be rebuilt completely. It is not just about renovation because many of the classrooms have collapsed.

Some do not even have floor, not to talk of furniture. So, we will gradually fix these schools and bring them back," AbdulRazaq told participants at the last lap of the citizens’ engagement on the 2021 budget held at Ajase-Ipo (Kwara South). 

"There are many lapses especially in the area of education. That is why we intend to access UBEC funds which the state has not accessed since 2013. We want to access it to fix some of our schools. The infrastructure deficit is so huge that even the entire UBEC fund cannot fix all our schools.”

The State Executive Council had on Friday approved for the state to take an N7.1bn facility to access (another N7.1bn of) the six-year backlog of outstanding UBEC funds which the state plans to invest in its basic education sector.  Speaking via zoom to the participants at the engagements session, the Governor said the administration would also invest in training and promotion of teachers, among other incentives, to keep and attract more qualified hands. 

He commended the people of the region for their self-help approach to development but said the administration would not fail in its duty to build infrastructure and rejuvenate the economy. 

The government is aware of challenges in Kwara South particularly in the area of access roads for farm produce and trade, and would soon commence phased construction of at least 600 kilometers of roads under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) before the end of the year, he said.