• Government opens bids for new UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has scrapped the payment of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) levy across all public primary schools in the state.

The government has, in its place, approved annual school grants to serve as running costs for the schools.

Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, announced the development on Thursday in Ilorin during the bid opening for the 3rd and 4th quarters of the 2024 UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects.

“The Governor has approved the stoppage of the payment of PTA in all public primary schools in the state. From Primary 1 to 6, there will be no more payment of PTA levy in Kwara State,” Adaramaja said.

He explained that at least 1,717 public schools will benefit from the newly approved grants, which are expected to improve their operational capacity.

The SUBEB chairman also disclosed that the Governor had approved the procurement of English and Mathematics textbooks for pupils in Primary 1 to 6, which will be distributed free of charge.

Speaking on the scope of the new intervention projects, Adaramaja listed them to include the construction of a block of two classrooms with an office, building of VIP toilets, remodeling and renovation of classrooms, drilling of solar-powered boreholes with tank stands, rehabilitation of digital literacy centers, procurement of literacy teaching materials, and fabrication of pupils’ furniture, among others.

He commended Governor AbdulRazaq for his sustained investment in education infrastructure, human capital development, and teachers’ welfare, revealing that the Governor had also approved the payment of the 2025 counterpart funds for the UBEC/SUBEB projects.

Adaramaja urged contractors to adhere strictly to project specifications, warning that substandard work would not be tolerated.

In his remarks, the Secretary of the Indigenous Contractors Association, Alhaji Maroof Ahmed, expressed appreciation to the state government for the transparent bidding process and assured that contractors would deliver quality work that meets public expectations.