Former Senator and human rights activist, Shehu Sani, has raised strong concerns over the deplorable condition of public primary schools in Nigeria, blaming state governments for failing to access over N250 billion earmarked for basic education by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

Using his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, 22nd July, 2025, Sani condemned the apparent disconnect between the availability of funds and the dire conditions faced by pupils across the country.

“Many public primary school pupils across the country are sitting and studying on the floor, and the roofs of their classrooms are torn apart, while N250 billion lies unutilised in the account of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). The states refused to access it. In most cases, we are our own problems,” he wrote.

His remarks have ignited widespread reactions across social media, with many Nigerians expressing outrage over the continued neglect of the education sector despite the existence of substantial intervention funds.

The UBEC Intervention Fund is designed to support the development of infrastructure, provide learning materials, and improve teaching quality in public schools. However, states are required to provide matching grants and fulfill accountability conditions to access the funds — a process many states reportedly neglect or fail to comply with.

Education stakeholders have echoed Sani’s concerns, warning that the failure to utilize available funds reflects broader governance and priority-setting challenges within Nigeria’s federal system.

According to a 2024 UBEC report, less than 50% of Nigeria’s states accessed their full entitlements from the Basic Education Fund over the last five years, leaving billions unspent even as children learn under trees, in roofless classrooms, or without desks.

Senator Sani’s post has intensified calls for greater transparency, enforcement of accountability mechanisms, and urgent action from state governors to prioritize basic education. Civil society groups have also demanded that the National Assembly investigate the recurring bottlenecks that hinder the release and usage of UBEC funds.

As the conversation grows, Sani’s remarks serve as a stark reminder of the disconnect between governance and grassroots realities, reigniting the public’s demand for reforms in Nigeria’s education sector.

Credit: @ShehuSani via x.com.

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