Maryam Abeeb, Abuja
As part of efforts to reduce the out of school children and to improve literacy level, Gombe state is set to receive 6 million US Dollars basic education grant.
The grant is coming under the Better Education Service Delivery for All, BESDA, which is a World Bank/Federal Government funded programme, targeted at mopping up out-of-school children and getting them back to school.
BESDA National Programme Coordinator, Professor Gidado Tahir announced the grant when he paid a courtesy call to Governor Inuwa Yahaya at the Government House, during his official visit in Gombe to assess the state’s preparedness to key into the BESDA project.
He explained that Gombe state is among 17 states of the country with highest number of out- of- school Children to kick start the programme.
Professor Gidado disclosed that Gombe state will receive 3 million dollars as advance payment, which is half of the total project grant of 6 million dollars that will be paid to the state in two trenches beginning from next week.
He also highlighted on key areas of the project to include number of children to be enrolled, teaching capacity as well as supervisory and management roles, stating that SUBEB will be the implementing organ while the state Ministry of Education is to supervise the prgramme.
He therefore urged the Governor to ensure adequate monitoring of the programme in order to achieve the desired results, especially being the state with the 3rd highest number of out- of- school-children.
In his remarks, Governor Yahaya appreciated the Buhari-led administration for including Gombe as a participating state, even as he described the World Bank assisted programme as apt and timely, especially in view of his administration’s resolve to prioritise basic education.
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