Abuja: Council for Regulation of Engineering inspects UBEC projects

The Council for the Regulation of  Engineering in Nigeria, COREN has begun the inspection of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects to ensure that all buildings in public basic schools have certification and are well built.

According to the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Hammid Bobboyi, its partnership with the Nigerian Society of Engineers is to ensure standards in the construction, renovation, provision of water facilities and other aspects of infrastructure in public basic schools across the country.

He stated this in Abuja on Wednesday during a one-day meeting with COREN Inspectors for monitoring UBEC/State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB intervention programmes in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

Bobboyi also disclosed that the engagement of COREN for monitoring and evaluation of UBEC projects would add value to the efforts being put in place to ensure quality basic education delivery in the country.

According to Dr. Bobboyi, over 50 percent of the entire basic education budget is allocated to infrastructural development across basic schools in Nigeria.

“The standard of buildings in the public schools started declining,the quality of the classrooms retrogressed in the last 30years, it is unacceptable to a nation like Nigeria”.

He restated that the Commission is still facing challenges of access of matching grants by States while it also grapples with the lack of uniformity in its intervention programmes.

“The challenge of accessing matching grant is still visible among the states following the processes involved and we are also facing the problem of lack of uniformity

 “The capacity of State is another major challenge we observed that the states do not have many qualified personnel to carry out these projects they need further training and mentorship.

“UBEC is facing challenges of adequate utilisation of these funds in coming up with structures that can stand testt of time hence the engagement of the Engineering Regulations Monitoring committee to facilitate infrastructure that can last.” 

According to the President of the Nigeria Society of Engineers , Tasi’u Sa’ad Gidari Wudil, a school building should last 25 years before it dilapidates if standard is not compromised.

Wudil disclosed that the NSE has plans to have three certified Engineers in each senatorial zone of the country to effectively monitor the UBEC projects.

Registrar of COREN, Professor Adisa Bello, said the inspection falls within Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM) mandate of the Council.

He said this was to ensure protection of lives and property, safety and value for money for sustainable national infrastructure development in Nigeria.

Bello warned the inspectors against deviation from the norm, stressing that anyone found wanting during the exercise would be dealt with accordingly.

“Any of our inspectors that is found wanting in the course of his or her duty, will be adequate sanctioned.”

PIAK