Mutfwang Unveils N10bn Basic Education Investment

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has flagged off the distribution of educational materials, 19 buses, digital devices and a two-day capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening basic education across the state.

Mutfwang, who spoke on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (PSUBEB) in Jos, said the interventions formed part of his administration’s deliberate efforts to reposition basic education as the foundation for sustainable development.

The Governor disclosed that Plateau State was set to invest more than N10 billion in basic education through counterpart funding and other interventions, following the clearance of outstanding obligations to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

He said the state had become one of the states up to date with its UBEC counterpart contributions after clearing inherited obligations for 2022 and 2023, adding that the government was preparing its 2026 contribution.

According to him, the intervention was not merely ceremonial but a practical demonstration of his administration’s commitment to ensuring that every child in Plateau State has access to safe, relevant and quality basic education.

Mutfwang said the 19 buses would enhance school supervision, monitoring and distribution of educational resources, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities.

He consequently charged Education Secretaries and Local Government Education Authorities to ensure that the vehicles were used strictly for educational purposes, properly maintained and protected as public assets.

The Governor also challenged teachers to raise the standard of instruction, particularly in English Language and Mathematics, stressing that weaknesses in foundational learning could undermine a child’s ability to understand other subjects.

“We are not sacking people, but we will push you to the point that you must raise the bar to a basic minimum standard,” Mutfwang said.

He directed the Commissioner for Education and PSUBEB management to develop a deliberate programme to strengthen teachers’ capacity in English Language delivery.

The Governor further disclosed that more than 1,200 classrooms had been renovated across the 17 local government areas in the last three years, noting that infrastructure alone could not guarantee quality education without competent teachers, appropriate learning materials and conducive learning environments.

He announced plans to intensify public school enrolment and called on traditional and religious leaders, parents, communities and civil society organisations to support efforts to remove barriers preventing children from accessing education.

Mutfwang also directed Education Secretaries to regard their positions as field responsibilities rather than office appointments, and regularly visit schools to monitor teaching and ensure that learning materials were available and properly utilised.

He added that future recruitment under the HOPE-EDU Programme would give special consideration to rural postings, with improved incentives for teachers serving in underserved communities.

Earlier, the Executive Chairman of PSUBEB, Sunday Samuel Amuna, said the intervention included 296,765 core textbooks in Mathematics, English Language, Basic Science and Computer Studies, as well as 19,905 curriculum materials.

He added that another 34,590 core textbooks, including computers, were procured under the 2025 Basic Education Advancement Programme, alongside 67,200 teachers’ guides, 30,000 Early Grade Reading textbooks, 15 sewing and knitting machines and 1,000 sanitary pads.

Amuna said the materials would strengthen classroom instruction, lesson planning, literacy and numeracy, while the buses would expand the operational reach of education officials.

Also speaking, the Plateau State HOPE Project Coordinator, Aliyu Baba, said the intervention builds on the recruitment and deployment of 1,500 teachers across the 17 local government areas and ongoing improvements in school infrastructure.

He said the provision of laptops and tablets to Education Secretaries and EMIS officers, coupled with training on the Trace and Track Management System, would improve data management, asset tracking, monitoring and accountability within the education sector.

The Commissioners for Budget and Economic Planning, Maren Ishaku Yobo, and Education, Prof. Gloria Karuri, said the interventions were designed to strengthen monitoring, teacher support, accountability and learning outcomes.

The event featured the flag-off of educational materials, commissioning of the 19 buses, rollout of computers and tablets, and commencement of the two-day capacity-building workshop.