2024 Budget: Nigeria May Lose Millions of Dollars Support From Partners, Private Sectors
- The 2024 appropriation bill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has once again been greeted with criticism
- Despite the hundred per cent increase in the budget for education, Nigeria still fell short of the 15 per cent allocation recommended by UNESCO
- A fresh update confirmed President Tinubu failed to incorporate the UN-backed Safe Schools Initiative
Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro.
FCT, Abuja - Nigeria's development partners express concern over the absence of allocations in the 2024 Federal Government Budget for the Safe Schools Initiative.
Launched in 2014 in response to terrorist attacks on schools and student abductions, the Initiative garnered global support led by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and UN Special Envoy on Global Education Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Source: Twitter
Aimed initially at creating secure learning environments, especially in the troubled North, the Initiative is notably absent from the 2024 Budget of Renewed Hope, with sources suggesting the Finance Ministry's decision.
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Finance Ministry officials state that the Minister remains unconvinced about the Initiative's significance within the ministry.
How Jonathan's administration housed UN-Safe School Initiative
Since the Jonathan administration, the initiative has been housed within the Ministry of Finance.
In the 2023 Budget, the Buhari administration allocated N15 billion for the initiative, with a portion already disbursed, according to Budget Ministry officials.
However, concerns have arisen from the UN, World Bank, and EU officials in Nigeria as the 2024 budget does not include any allocation for the initiative.
These international partners are reportedly awaiting a clear demonstration of consistent political will and financial commitment from the Nigerian Federal and State governments before pledging support for the initiative.
During President Muhammadu Buhari's past administration, the federal government and development partners collaborated on a costed implementation plan for the Safe Schools Initiative from 2023 to 2026.
Released at the beginning of the year, the plan, totalling N144 billion, was formulated through extensive consultations with stakeholders at national and sub-national levels, including development partners.
The proposal aimed to secure N32 billion in 2023, N36 billion in 2024, N37 billion in 2025, and N38 billion in 2026.
In 2023, President Buhari's administration approved a contribution of N15 billion for a plan outlined in the 2023 Budget.
According to Ahmed, there is a funding gap of N12 billion for States, private sector entities, and development partners interested in supporting Nigeria.
Concerns among development partners
However, concerns have arisen among some development partners in Nigeria who fear that obtaining support from their headquarters might be challenging if the federal government doesn't maintain the political will and financial commitment established by the Buhari Administration.
The plan aims to begin this year in Very High-Risk States facing threats from Ansarul/ISWAP insurgents/terrorists, Boko Haram-inspired bandits, and others. These states include Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, FCT, Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, and Bauchi.
Official FG sources report that Nigeria has experienced a deliberate targeting of education over the past decade.
This has resulted in the killing of at least 611 teachers, the displacement of 19,000 teachers, an estimated 900,000 children losing access to learning, and 75 per cent of children in IDP camps not attending schools.
2024 budget: Economic expert reacts to education budget
Meanwhile, an economic expert has confirmed that in the 2024 appropriation bill, Nigeria has failed to meet the UNESCO-recommended quota.
UNESCO recommends that at least 15 to 26 per cent of a nation's budget be allotted to education.
However, President Bola Tinubu has been commended for earmarking N50 billion for the student loan scheme.
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Source: Legit.ng
