14
Funding in Basic Education
2. ObjectivesFor participants to be able to:1.Identify the various types of funds available for Basic Education in publicschools in Nigeria2.Understand the various elements of the Universal Basic Education Intervention Fund, including the matching and non-matching elements3.Deliberate over the implications the knowledge gained has for their a) day today reporting, b) feature/investigative reporting4.Be aware of emerging issues in Basic Education 3. Funding in Basic EducationTask (Think and Pair): With the person sitting next to you, comeup with 3 ways in which basic education is funded in NigeriaTip: Think about various types of funds available at different levels of governmentShare as a class: What kinds of funds have you come up with? 4. Funds available for BE include:At Federal level:Universal Basic Education Intervention FundMDG Funds (from Debt Relief gains)Tertiary Education Trust Fund, formerly ETF (ended in 2010 but backlogof funds exists for Basic and Senior Secondary Education)Other: special projects from the Federal Ministry of Education etc. 5. At State level:State government funds (the states own money)SUBEB funds (emanating from UBEC)At Local level:Local Government Education Authority funds (emanating from SUBEBs)Local Government Authority funds** All this does not include non-governmental - private and charitable funds 6. A focus on the UBE-IFName: Universal Basic Education Intervention FundSource: 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of theFederal Government of NigeriaGuardian/Parent: The Universal Basic Education Commissionon behalf of the FGNAge: 8 years (since 2005, following the UBE Act, 2004)Features: Funds are distributed to states based on a formuladetermined by FEC ( latest version from 2008 decision) 7. The current formula for UBE-IF: 8. Elements of the UBE-Intervention Fund S/ Area ofKey featuresAllocation (2011) NIntervention 1Matching Federal gives 50%, state gives 50%N872.52m pergrants to Funds to be spent onstate (wasstates (50%) infrastructure/construction disbursed) Note: This is the only element of the UBE-IF that requires a matching grant 2Educational 70% for Self Help Funds N9.03 billion in totalImbalance 10% for Girls Initiative* States with more(14%) 20% for National Almajiri Education disadvantages get Programme more funds than others 3Good 3rd place, Runner up and winner inN3.2 billion in totalPerformanceeach geo-political zonesGrant (5%) 1 National winner 4Grants for 70% to go to public providers For the fundsspecialallocated to states equally allocated to states -needs (2%) 30% to private providers N24.4 m per state determined by the UBEC(was disbursed) 9. Elements of the UBE-Intervention Fund S/N Area of Key featuresAllocation (2011) Intervention 5 Instructional Funds for states to spend N 9.68 billion for all materials (15%) on instructional materials, states & FCT including text books for BE This fund is schools administered The focus of recent years centrally by the has been on core subjects UBEC, i.e. states do not get the money to spend on IM on their own 6 Teacher Funds for SUBEBs to train N150 m per state Professionalteachers(was disbursed) Development (10%) 7 UBE Funds for the UBE N1.29 billion ImplementationCommission to run itself Fund (2%) 8 UBE Monitoring Funds for the UBE N1.29 billion Fund (2%) Commission to monitor the UBE Programme in states 10. Questions for Discussion/ Sharing:1. What new information have you gained?2. How might this impact on your reporting?3. Write down 3 possible story ideas from the information you have gained? Share these ideas with others. 11. Questions / Possible story ideas includeS/N Area of Questions / Possible Story Ideas Intervention1 Matching grants to Has the state accessed the funds available fromstates (50%) UBEC in recent years? If not, why not? If so, what is the evidence that the funds are being utilised well? In your state, are the construction projects(schools, toilets etc.) fit for purpose?2 Educational Going beyond the announcements, investigateImbalance (14%) schools which have benefitted from self-help funds how did they plan for and use the funds?3 Good What are the criteria used to judge how states didPerformance to get the awards? Does the criteria include howGrant (5%)states did with regard to improving learningoutcomes for children (the point of education) or wasit about how many classrooms were built, forexample? Do children or teachers think their states deservethe award? How was the money from the awardspent? 12. S/N Area of Questions / Possible Story Ideas Intervention4 Grants for Are states routinely providing wheel chairs/ improvingspecial needs access for children with disabilities to enable them to be(2%)in mainstream schools (thereby encouraging greaterinclusion) Which foundations/NGOs have benefitted from thisfund from UBEC in recent years?5 Instructional If claims are made that textbooks have been suppliedmaterials to a state, do you see the textbooks in use when you visit(15%) schools? What was the total value of all the contracts awarded totextbook publishers by UBEC? Does this total equal whatthe 15% of the fund last year amounted to?6 Teacher How do teachers themselves rate the training that theProfessionalstate gives them? Do they find it adequate to theirDevelopment needs? How do they feel it impacts on classroom(10%) practice and learning outcomes for children? What ideas do teachers have to improve their training? 13. Emerging issues in UBEThe review of the UBE Act was announced to the world in a public hearing which took place in Abuja on9th October 2012The Honourable Minister of Education and the Honourable Minister of State for Education presented thedocument with their proposed changes to the UBE Act of 2004One key change was the inclusion of Senior Secondary Education as also being compulsory but there issome ambiguity in the document as to whether it is also free (the Explanatory memoranda says so butthe Act itself does not say so explicitly)It is important that journalists do not merely report these events but are able to ask pertinent questionsof decisions makers at the Federal Ministry of Education and prompt lawmakers and the public to alsoask relevant questions, such as:Is the law being proposed implementable? How can the Federal Government make senior secondary educationcompulsory (and propose to fine parents who do not send their wards to school) when there is not enough provision ofsuch schools and indeed when such schools are highly selective 14. Have the objectives been met?For participants to be able to:1.Identify the various types of funds available for Basic Education in publicschools in Nigeria2.Understand the various elements of the Universal Basic Education Intervention Fund, including the matching and non-matching elements3.Deliberate over the implications the knowledge gained has for their a) day today reporting, b) feature/investigative reporting4.Be aware of emerging issues in Basic Education
