Executive Secretary of National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), Dr. Iyela Ajayi, has disclosed that the Act establishing the commission directs that States must contribute at least five per cent as the counterpart funding to qualify for their intervention.
Dr Iyela, while calling on Akwa Ibom State government to change the nomenclature of State Secondary Education Board, (SSEB,) to State Senior Secondary Education Boad, (SSSEB), said Section 21, sub section 2 of the NSSEC Act 2003, also provides for states to comply by establishing Senior Secondary Education Board.
He stated this while speaking to the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Dr. Akon Eyakenyi in Uyo during a courtesy call.
He stressed the need for states SSEB representation with the composition and functions as provided in the Act, saying, “This will assist in fast tracking legislative process as well as drafting and passage of the Executive Bill by the States Houses of Assembly, uniformity of all SSSEB Laws, and elimination of any contradicting provision that would exclude states from benefiting from the NSSEC fund.”
“Establishment of the state Senior Secondary Education Boards will also give room for smooth implementation of NSSEC functions and mandate in all states,” he said.
The Executive Secretary also appealed to Akwa Ibom government to provide a furnished office for use as the Commission’s provisional office, as well as land in Uyo for the Commission to erect its South-South zonal office.
Responding, Dr Eyakenyi, expressed her State Government’s willingness to collaborating with the Commission.
She said the land had already been earmarked for SSSEB in Uyo, and assured the Commission that Akwa Ibom State was adequately prepared to draft and pass the Executive Bill while the State House of Assembly was ready for its speedy passage.