Human Development Initiatives

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PRESS BRIEFING

PRESS BRIEFING

STAKEHOLDERS COMMEND LAGOS STATE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION BOARD (LSUBEB) ON IMPLEMENTATION OF YEAR 2015 UBE PROJECTS

We are concerned stakeholders in the Basic Education Sub-sector in Lagos State, comprising Parents and Guardians; retired civil servants, members of School Based Management Committees, Parents’ Forum, Community Development Associations and Civil Society Organisations. We hereby use this medium to commend the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) on the implementation of year 2015 Universal Basic Education (UBE) projects across the State , and voice out our opinion as regards the development of basic education in Lagos State, the Centre of Excellence.

Without mincing words, we wish to state that with the support of the Human Development Initiatives (HDI) and USAID Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) project we embarked on a monitoring tour of UBE projects in Lagos State following the release of Year 2015 Lagos SUBEB Action Plan by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and subsequent approval from Lagos SUBEB to monitor UBE projects in the State.  The overarching aim of the monitoring exercise was to track the utilisation of UBE grants in the State. We attest to the fact that we visited all projects sites captured in the action plan for real-time monitoring between November, 2017 and March, 2018, and submitted details of findings from our monitoring activities to HDI. The data were gathered by the Monitoring Teams with the aid of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tools designed for the purpose of tracking the implementation of the projects.

While there were four categories of projects on the action plan, namely: Construction, Rehabilitation, Fencing and Furniture, we the monitoring teams only monitored Construction, Rehabilitation and Fencing projects. Furniture projects were not monitored due to logistics and technical challenges. From the monitoring exercise, we can state unequivocally that all renovation projects have been completed (100%); 41% of construction projects have been completed while the remaining 59% were on-going as at March 28, 2018; only about half, (that is 50% ) of all fencing projects have been completed.

Our major findings in the course of the monitoring exercise across beneficiary schools are as follows:

  1. Compliance with projects’ descriptions/specifications outlined in the Action Plan.
  2. Delay in implementation of projects. The implementation period was not in accordance with the expected project duration stipulated in the action plan.
  3. Some door keys, plastering and passage roofing were not satisfactory.
  4. Construction was generally non-friendly for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), (walkways, toilets, railings etc).
  5. Abandonment of 2 Fencing projects (Z.I Primary School, Ajeromi Ifelodun and Ajeromi Primary School, Ijora Badia, Apapa)
  6. Converting part of Z.I Primary School, Ajeromi Ifelodun into a public transport park.
  7. Delay in supply, and supply of sub-standard furniture
  8. Most schools visited do not have fence and security personnel.
  9. Teacher-pupil ratio still falls short of the standard required by the National Policy on Education (1:40).
  10. Most schools visited are in need of furniture for teachers and students

In view of the aforementioned findings from the monitoring exercise, we want to call on the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board to:

  1. Ensure strict compliance in implementation of projects in accordance with the expected project duration.
  2. Further strengthen our independent monitoring drive by making public, both their yearly action plans and bill of quantity of projects to further enhance the quality of monitoring and thereby ensuring transparency and accountability in the governance of basic education in Lagos State.
  3. Ensure construction and rehabilitation of school buildings (walk ways, classrooms, offices, toilets, railings etc.) are friendly and accessible for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
  4. Organise periodic town hall meetings across the 3 Senatorial Districts to carry community members along on developments in the basic education sector and inform other education stakeholders on basic education projects going on in their respective communities.
  5. Launch a digital user-friendly interactive platform through which citizens can engage them and share reports on the implementation of projects in their Local Government Areas, wards and Communities.

These recommendations were made to further ensure that education goods and services get delivered to schools in Lagos State for improved access and quality basic education. The report of the monitoring exercise would be officially presented to the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) later today in their office for further engagement.

Thank you.

Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko L’oje Wa Logun

Toyin Pender

For HDI-Independent Monitoring Team