N37 billion enough to build 10,360 classrooms

Findings by the Daily Trust also revealed that the N37 billion approved for the National Assembly renovation can construct 2,590 blocks of classrooms nationwide at a unit cost of N13.5 million per block with four classrooms. Our analysis shows that if the money is channelled into providing classrooms for pupils in primary and junior secondary schools, there will be at least 10,360 more classrooms in the country. The classrooms would also reduce the 36 per cent deficit by 4.5 per cent, and Nigeria will then be contending with the shortage of 222,426 units of classrooms. The 2018 National Personnel Audit (NPA) report released by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) on Monday, estimated that the total number of classrooms required for public primary schools nationwide stands at 639,564 but the total number of classrooms is 406,778.

The audit report indicated that there is a 36 per cent deficit of 232,786 classrooms across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. Of the 406,778 available classrooms, 197,938 representing 49 per cent, are in bad condition.