The Federal Government has pledged to intensify efforts against substandard school construction across Nigeria, calling on key stakeholders, including the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), to uphold high standards in the execution of school building projects.
Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), made this declaration on Monday during a training session for the Commission’s physical planning staff. The training focused on improving project quality through the use of simple, effective tools for on-the-spot assessment at construction sites.
The event, held at the UBEC Digital Resource Centre in Abuja, was organized in partnership with the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute and Tectonics Engineering Group, a private engineering firm.
Dr. Bobboyi emphasized that the Commission would no longer tolerate subpar execution of projects and issued a stern warning to contractors about the dangers of delivering poor-quality school infrastructure. He reiterated UBEC's commitment to collaborating with SUBEBs to enhance the quality of educational facilities and ensure a secure, conducive learning environment for Nigerian students.
He also revealed plans to deploy monitoring teams who will conduct regular inspections at construction sites nationwide. Dr. Bobboyi stressed that educational infrastructure projects are highly sensitive and must be executed with the utmost care to avoid endangering the lives of children and school staff. He acknowledged that while funds may be limited, it is imperative that available resources are utilized effectively to deliver durable and safe structures across the country.
Reflecting on the recent collapse of a school building in Jos, Dr. Bobboyi, while noting that the incident did not involve a UBEC-sponsored project, urged state governments to take proactive measures to ensure that contractors adhere strictly to project specifications.
"We are responsible for a critical sector, catering to children between the ages of 5 and 12 who are particularly vulnerable in the event of a building collapse. The tragedy in Jos is a stark reminder of our duty to ensure that school infrastructures are robust and built to last," Dr. Bobboyi stated.
Lois Udoye 
