Bill on State Education Trust Fund Scales Second Reading

By Valentine Joshua

A bill to establish the Nasarawa State Education Development Trust fund has scaled second reading at the floor of the state house of assembly.

The bill which is to reposition the education system for effective service delivery however had the lawmakers apprehensive about its transparency and accountability if passed into law.

When the State House of Assembly reconvened on Tuesday issues of education took the front burner as the house passed into first reading a bill for the law to provide for Free Menstrual Hygiene Products for Girls in Nasarawa State Public Schools by the state government as sponsored by the only female lawmaker, Hajara Danyaro.

Thereafter, the house considered for second reading a bill for the establishment of Nasarawa State Education Development Trust funds and while giving the substance of the bill, the deputy majority leader, Abel Bala said no amount of fund will be enough for education hence the need to pull sources into the education sector.

The bill was by most lawmakers who lamented, the poor state of public schools in the state calling improved workforce since international donors and multinational companies will be providing interventions.

However, member representing Doma South Constituency Musa Ibrahim Abubakar said the initiative can only achieve needed result if government’s task on revenue generating ministries and agencies dedicate to remitting certain percentage of the revenue to the Education Development Trust fund .

The deputy speaker Mohammed Adamu Oyanki threw his weight behind the bill and urged the house to put an eagle eyes just as member representing Awe North Constituency Hudu A. Hudu made a case for increment of budget allocation for education from 20 to 40 percent to aid the trust fund if it eventually comes on board.

Consequently, the speaker Danladi Jatau through the gavel passed the bill seeking to establish the state Education Development Trust fund into second reading and committed it to the house standing committee on Education Science and Technology for more legislative action.