Basic Education in Adamawa State suffered years of neglect until the coming of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
Fintiri was quick at efforts to salvage the sector, first through accessing matching grants of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBE).
After payment of counterpart funding, the state government had accessed the UBE grants for 2016, 2017, 2018, and will get that of 2019 in the next two months which will pave way for additional massive turnaround in primary and junior secondary schools across the state.
The State Universal Basic Education Board ADSUBEB has commenced construction of a block of three classrooms and office in over 300 schools, and rehabilitation of classrooms and offices in 400 schools as well as construction of latrines in 87 schools.
The board has also supplied about 20,000 sets of tables, chairs, single and three-seaters in both primary and junior secondary schools, computers and internet facilities in nine schools, construction of new library/computer and admin blocks in 11 schools and construction of perimeter wall fencing in 10 schools.
The Executive Chairman of ADSUBEB, Dr Salihi Ateeku in an interview with newsmen in his office explained that there is also ongoing construction and rehabilitation in eighty schools across Fufore and Guyuk local government areas, a project financed by the state government and Unicef.
Dr Ateeku disclosed that some of the projects have been complete while others have reached advanced stages of completion.
He declared that by the time the matching grant for 2018 is exhausted, the basic education sector will get unprecedented change.
“Some of them are complete, some have reached more than 75% stage of completion. By the time we finished everything concerning 2018, the state will be boasting of more classrooms, much renovation, fencing, sports equipment, instructional materials, computers and others,” he said.
He further reiterated that Governor Umaru Fintiri has already paid UBE counterpart funding for the 2019 matching grant while that of 2020 is in the pipeline and expressed the hope that in the next three years, Adamawa will get beyond what the Governor has promised of 5,000 new classrooms.
The Executive Chairman worried that the immediate past administration in Adamawa bastardized the education sector especially basic education.
“The scenario I met in this office was terrible. We have recently issued a contract for rehabilitation of this offices. We are making a facelift, the Governor in his magnanimity set up a committee for augmenting what we are getting here, the memo will be submitted soon,” he explained.
He expressed concern on the condition of lack of promotions for primary school teachers among other issues and assured them that soon their problems will be surmounted, calling on people to support and pray for Governor Umaru Fintiri so that Adamawa will wax stronger.
