Human rights legal professional, Femi Falana (SAN), has known as on governors of the 36 states and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to utilise N267 billion in launched intervention finances for fundamental schooling and get right of entry to over N65 billion in counterpart investment but to be accessed via states.
Falana, who’s the Chair of the Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Past (ASCAB), made the decision in a commentary titled “Abandonment of Number one College Schooling for the Kids of the Deficient.”
He mentioned the Common Fundamental Schooling Fee (UBEC) published that as of August this 12 months, about N267 billion in launched intervention finances was once but to be utilised, whilst over N65 billion counterpart investment was once but to be accessed via states.
The Government Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Aisha Garba, made the disclosure on the opening of a month-long technical capacity-building workshop organised via the Global Financial institution-assisted HOPE-GOV Programme in Abuja.
The workshop is geared toward strengthening finances making plans and execution for fundamental schooling and number one healthcare within the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Falana recalled that on November 28, 2025, the Federal Top Court docket dominated with regards to Femi Falana & Anor v Lawyer-Common of the Federation & 36 Ors (Go well with No. FHC/L/CS/142/24) that the Federal Govt, all 36 state governments and the FCT have a binding felony legal responsibility to supply unfastened, obligatory and common fundamental schooling for each Nigerian kid of number one and junior secondary college age.
“Regardless of the transparent phrases of the above judgment,” he mentioned, the finances supposed for fundamental schooling remained unutilised or unaccessed.
“As an issue of urgency, the governors of the 36 states and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory must utilise the N267 billion in launched intervention finances and get right of entry to the over N65 billion counterpart investment within the UBEC Account,” he mentioned.
Falana suggested the government to “carry out their statutory tasks and admire the fitting of each Nigerian kid to unfastened and obligatory fundamental schooling from number one college to junior secondary college assured via the Unfastened, Obligatory Common Fundamental Schooling Act.”
He also known as at the Federal Govt to supply a meal for schoolchildren according to day to spice up enrolment and diet in step with the Nationwide Social Funding Programme Company Act.
“In view of the continuing political campaigns, we name at the mass media to problem all registered political events and their applicants to convey out their programmes with admire to the implementation of the related rules on unfastened and obligatory fundamental schooling for each kid in Nigeria in addition to the college feeding programme,” he mentioned.
Falana added that, “Having regard to the giant assets of the rustic, the removing of kids of faculty age from the streets in all states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory should be performed with out any more prolong.”