Segun Fagbemi, Ilorin.
Kwara State Government has said it is no longer permissible to charge or collect Parents Teachers Association (PTA) levy across public primary schools in the state.
The government instead approved annual school grants for the schools to replace the PTA levy and serve as their running costs.
The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof Shehu Adaramaja, made the disclosure at the weekend in Ilorin, the state capital.
Prof Adaramaja spoke at the bid opening for the 2024 (3rd and 4th quarters) UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects.
“The governor has approved the stoppage of the payment of PTA in all public primary schools in the state. From primary 1 to 6, no more payment of PTA in Kwara State,” he said, announcing immediate flag off of disbursement of grants for at least 1,717 public schools.
Besides, Adaramaja announced the approval of procurement of English and Mathematics textbooks by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, which he said, would be distributed free of charge to the pupils of primary 1 to 6 across the state.
Speaking on the bid opening, the chairman said the intervention would cover critical projects, including the construction of a block of two classrooms with an office, construction of VIP toilets, remodeling and renovation of classrooms, drilling of solar powered borehole with tank stand, rehabilitation of digital literacy across the state, procurement of foundation literacy teaching and learning materials for primary one, fabrication and distribution of two seater pupils/students’ furniture, and safe schools initiative in some selected local governments, among others.
Commending the government for investing in school infrastructure, human capital development, and welfare of teachers, Adaramaja disclosed that the governor has equally approved the payment of 2025 counterpart funds for the UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects.
He then urged contractors, who would eventually get the jobs, to execute them in line with the specifications, warning that shoddy jobs would not be condoned.
He hailed the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Hajiya Aisha Garba and other key stakeholders for contributing to the success of the programme.
Responding on behalf of the bidders, Alhaji Maroof Ahmed, who is the Secretary for Indigenous Contractors Association, thanked the government for giving their members an opportunity to prove their mettle as local contractors.
He pledged on behalf of their members the delivery quality services to justify the confidence the government reposed in them.