FG gets $98 million Islamic Bank loan

By CLEMENT IDOKO, Abuja

The Federal Government has secured the sum of $98 million facilities from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for the promotion of Bilingual Education in Nigeria.

Head, Public Relations and Protocol, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Mr David Apeh, who made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja said the Board of Executive Directors of Islamic Development Bank approved the Multi-year Financial Facility Programme for the promotion of Bilingual Education in Nigeria for the period of 2012 to 2015.

He said the aim of the project was to contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic condition of Nigeria, ensure inclusive education and promote bilingual education.

He listed the nine (9) benefitting states in the project as; Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Osun.

Apeh added that the major components of the project were to create access to basic education, improve quality and enhance the management capacity of school administrators.

Bilingual Education Boarding Schools are to be constructed in the 9 States, which would help boost enrolment and reduce the out-of-school-children (OOSC) syndrome as well as expose learners to the knowledge of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

“Another important feature of this project is the Awqaf and Istisnaa imbedded to provide real estate business for sustainable income for the programme.

“The Project is being coordinated at the National level by Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), National Coordinating Unit (NCU) with supervision by Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Finance,” he said.

The UBEC spokesperson indicated that the National Coordinating Unit has already engaged consultants to design, review and supervise the civil works of the projects and has also engaged the services of a Monitoring and Evaluation consultant.

He further noted that the office furniture and equipment have been procured for the nine participating states, adding the process of the civil work has just commenced.

He said a stakeholders meeting was organised to brief the States on the level of the project implementation with the 9 states represented by their Commissioners of Finance, SUBEB Chairmen, Heads of Project Management Units (PMUs) and Tsangaya Arabic and Islamic Education Agencies.

The meeting, which was chaired by the Executive Secretary, UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Prof. Bala Zakari, also had in attendance, members of UBEC management as well as the representatives of the Federal Ministries of Education, Finance and IsDB.

Bobboyi in his remark informed the State Governments that the project was a loan that has to be repaid hence, the need to ensure its effective implementation and prudent management.

The States expressed their readiness to take ownership of the Projects after completion while the participants were expected to brief their respective state governors. (Nigerian Tribune)