The Federal Government has set November 15 as the deadline for the delivery of quality books to public primary schools in the South-south and Southeast states.
The book distribution initiative is being driven by the Federal Ministry of Education through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), with support from the World Bank under the HOPE-EDU programme.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the programme was part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen the foundation of basic education in the country.
Alausa spoke in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, at the flag-off of a five-day Result Area 1 Regional Thematic Workshop on Book Supply Chain and Track and Trace for school directors and procurement officers of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in the Southsouth and Southeast.
Alausa said the book supply chain would ensure that books were supplied to children, as some parents could not afford them.
The minister, who was represented by Mr Zubair Muhammad, an assistant director in the Federal Ministry of Education, said states in the region must get ready for the November 15, 2026, deadline.
He said, “The Federal Government is ready, with the World Bank partners to assist by providing books to children in public schools.
“Not just to provide the books, the government wants to ensure that the books are tracked and stored for learners at various levels of learning in public schools.
“The books would be stored so that pupils can use them at various levels of learning. The books would be school property, carefully preserved for learners at all levels.”
“Government must know the exact number of learners in public schools within the Southsouth and Southeast to be accommodated under the ratio of one child, one book.”
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, while addressing participants at the workshop, noted that education remained a cornerstone of national development.
“The Federal Government, in partnership with the World Bank, is fully committed to ensuring that the HOPE-EDU Programme delivers qualitative outcomes.
“Over the next few days, we will focus on equipping our State Ministries of Education and SUBEBs with the tools, strategies and accountability mechanisms required to transform classrooms across the nation.”
Garba said the workshop on the Book Supply Chain and Track and Trace system would ensure that quality materials reached the right schools and students, with transparency and accountability at every stage.
Represented by UBEC Zonal Director, Southsouth, Akpan Ossom Udo, Garba explained that states must be ready to buy into the book supply chain.
