The Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB) is constructing 1800 classrooms in the 21 local governments of the state to bridge the shortfall in learning spaces at the basic education level in the state.

Executive chairman of the board, Dr. Salihi Ateequ while briefing newsmen in his office on Wednesday disclosed that there were about 9000 classroom deficits in the state, but noted that the board was constructing 1800 additional classrooms with the 2018/2019 UBEC intervention funds.

“We are constructing 100 of 3 classroom blocks, each block containing 3 classrooms making it 300 classrooms. We are also renovating 500 classrooms and 100 classrooms of 2 classrooms to a block. In all 900 classrooms are going to be added to the system. But the enormity of the lack of learning spaces is huge, about 9000 classrooms are required to meet the gap and improve the quality of basic education,” Ateequ said.

He said the effort is to ensure that pupils have more learning spaces when school is fully opened for learning.

“With the 2018 UBEC matching grant we are adding about 900 classrooms and 2019is already on the ground. We have reported to UBEC that our government has paid its counterpart funding, so in the next three months, we will be adding another 900 classrooms.

“We also have international NGOs like the UNICEF in collaboration with KFW and they are improving learning spaces in 80 schools, 40 in Fufore local government, and another 40 in Guyuk. In all, they are going to be improving learning spaces in 280 schools across the state,” he said.

The executive chairman called on stakeholders to support the new leadership of the board in its quest of ensuring effective and purposeful service delivery to improve basic education in the state.

“I want to reassure people, especially the stakeholders of which the press is inclusive, that with the recent change of leadership of the board, our commitment to ensuring commitment and service delivery in the board is total.

“We shall continue to pursue the process of effective and purposeful service delivery taking into consideration the welfare and progress of key operators, especially teachers. Presently, a serious study within the basic education system has been made. Based on the result of findings made after our assumption of office, we shall come up with necessary measures that will ensure quality assurance within the system to bring it to lofty heights,” he said.

He appeals to the general public to support his leadership by offering genuine advice and suggestions on how to improve and achieve the basic aim of universal basic education, which is the provision of quality basic education to the people of Adamawa state.

While appreciating Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for trusting him with a weighty task, the executive chairman assured the governor and the entire state of his commitment to ensuring quality service delivery.

“I want to use this medium to express my gratitude to his Excellency, right honorable Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the executive governor of Adamawa state who found me worthy of providing genuine leadership to this very important agency of government. I wish to assure him and the people of the state that this confidence reposed in me will be justified,” he said.