Ekiti SUBEB Trains SBMC-SIP Project Implementation Committees, Desk Officers

 

The Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has conducted a cluster-based capacity-building training for Project Implementation Sub-Committees (PISCs) of the 2025 School-Based Management Committee-School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP) and Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) SBMC Desk Officers across the state.

The Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Prof. Femi Akinwumi, who flagged off the one-day training, said it was designed to equip stakeholders with the requisite skills for the effective, transparent and accountable implementation of the SBMC-SIP intervention.

Akinwumi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Board, Mr Michael Omolayo, said the cluster-based approach was adopted to bring the training closer to beneficiaries, reduce logistical challenges and foster synergy among schools within the same senatorial district.

Addressing participants from the 15 beneficiary schools selected across the three senatorial districts, the chairman described School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) as indispensable partners in school governance, resource mobilisation, accountability and transparency in the management of UBEC and SUBEB interventions.

He charged members of the PISCs to regard their selection as a call to service and uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and due process in executing the projects.

According to him, every naira allocated to the projects must count, stressing that there must be value for money in efforts to improve the teaching and learning environment.

The chairman reaffirmed the commitment of the Biodun Oyebanji-led administration and the Board to creating an enabling environment for community participation in school development.

Akinwumi also urged LGEA SBMC Desk Officers to be proactive in supervision and reporting, assuring participants that the Board would continue to monitor the projects to ensure value for money and sustainability.

In her welcome address, the Director of Social Mobilisation, Ekiti SUBEB, Mrs Olayinka Ayodele appreciated the Executive Chairman of SUBEB and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for their support for community-driven school development.

She described the SBMC-SIP as an impactful intervention aimed at strengthening community ownership of schools

The director said the cluster-based training was designed to promote peer learning, uniformity and effective monitoring across the clusters, urging participants to pay attention to the technical sessions and cascade the knowledge gained to their respective school Communities 

Also speaking, the former Commissioner for Human Resources Management, Dr Olufunke Fajobi, commended UBEC for sustaining the SBMC-SIP initiative as a veritable platform for grassroots participation in education development.

Fajobi urged the beneficiary schools to take ownership of the projects, ensure judicious use of funds and maintain the facilities provided.

She said community ownership and protection of school infrastructure would contribute to improved learning outcomes and promote a culture of maintenance among pupils.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, congratulated Ekiti State on its performance in accessing and implementing UBEC interventions, describing the state SUBEB as one of the compliant and committed SUBEBs in the federation.

Garba, who was represented by the UBEC State Coordinator, Mr Tokunbo Olajubu, reiterated the commission's commitment to deepening community participation through functional SBMCs across the country.

She explained that the SBMC-SIP was designed to give communities a voice in school improvement planning and implementation, urging the PISCs to adhere strictly to UBEC implementation guidelines to achieve the desired results.

The training featured technical and plenary sessions on project implementation procedures, bookkeeping, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, as well as sustainability strategies.

The programme also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and presentation of award letters to the 15 beneficiary schools by the UBEC Lead Facilitator, Mrs Olawumi Francisca Damola.

The event was attended by SUBEB directors, members of SBMCs from the beneficiary schools, Social Mobilisation Officers and SBMC Desk Officers from the concerned Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs).