CHALLENGES HINDERING STATE GOVERNMENTS FROM ACCESSING UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION (UBE) COUNTERPART FUNDS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This chapter examined the factors preventing many state governments in Nigeria from accessing the Universal Basic Education (UBE) counterpart funds provided by the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). The chapter observed that despite the huge financial allocations made available for the development of basic education, many states have consistently failed to access these intervention funds due to several administrative, political, and economic challenges. The chapter discussed five major factors responsible for the problem, namely inadequate political will, poor financial capacity of state governments, corruption and diversion of public funds, bureaucratic bottlenecks and weak administrative capacity, and lack of transparency and accountability in educational management. The chapter further explained how the inability of states to access these funds has negatively affected school infrastructure, teacher development, instructional materials, and learners’ academic achievement across public basic schools in Nigeria. Examples from different Nigerian states and reports from newspapers, UBEC publications, and educational studies were used to support the discussion. The chapter concluded that failure to access counterpart funds has continued to undermine the achievement of quality basic education in Nigeria. Recommendations were therefore made on strengthening political commitment, improving educational financing, enhancing transparency, and building institutional capacity for effective management of UBE intervention funds.