The 1 GAME Campaign says it has concluded plans to meet with Governors from Nigeria’s North-East states beginning from next week.
1 GAME founder, Philip Obaji announced on Monday that the organization is meeting with the Governors on initiatives to enhance funding of basic education and measures to encourage school enrolment in their respective states.
“The Universal Basic Education Scheme was designed to provide compulsory, free education up to Junior Secondary levels, to be funded by both the Federal and State Governments.
“The Federal Government keeps 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund into the scheme and allocates money to the states when the states contribute its matching amounts.
“However, we’ve found out that most of the states never made their matching grants, denying themselves access to the funds; and in states, where they had been given the grants the education sector there is still pathetic. Unfortunately, most of these states are in the North-East.
“We’ve concluded arrangement to visit these states and meet with their Governors. We’ll raise these issues, talk on initiatives that would enhance funding from other sources and seeks measures to boost school enrolment as well. We’ve spoken directly to some Governors and they are ready for us,” he said.
Confirming the visit to Borno State, an excited Commissioner for Education, Inuwa Musa Kubo said arrangement were on ground to receive the 1 GAME team.
“We’re excited and ready to welcome 1 GAME. Governor Kashim Shettima is anxiously waiting to receive them. Basic education is one of our priorities in Borno State.”
Non-school attendance in Nigeria is highest among states in the North-East with only 49% of school age boys and 37% of girls of the same age attending school.
