The Chairman of the Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Samuel Mariere, has reacted to a viral video showing some pupils sitting on the floor at the Eghreka Primary School, Ewu, in Ughelli South Local Government Area, describing the video as being politically motivated and a misrepresentation of facts.
He said the video was a deliberate attempt to undermine the laudable achievements of the state government and the current board in the areas of education.
The SUBEB chairman, however, added that, nonetheless, it was an opportunity to clarify the true situation and highlight ongoing efforts to improve education infrastructure across the state.
Mariere, who spoke during a press briefing in Asaba on Wednesday, said the state government, through SUBEB, had in the current year alone constructed and distributed over 16,000 dual desks to public schools across the state.
He said this is apart from similar interventions by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as constituency projects of members of the state House of Assembly and contributions from corporate organizations.
He disclosed that 234 new classrooms were constructed across the state, pointing out that 162 classrooms were delivered through the 2024 UBE intervention fund and 72 by the Delta State government, while 24 others are still under construction.
“These interventions have substantially reduced congestion, provided safer and more conducive environments for learning, and created room for increased enrolment in both rural and urban schools,” Mariere said.
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According to him, the state government has also prioritized the security and welfare of teachers and pupils through the construction of 22 perimeter block walls and gatehouses, renovation of five others, provision of 164 VIP toilets, and five solar-powered boreholes.
He added that 10 staff quarters were delivered for teachers, while pupils benefited from 16,834 units of furniture, 4,000 refurbished units, and 50 double bunk beds with foams to support boarding arrangements.
The SUBEB chairman admitted that despite these interventions, some schools still experience furniture shortages, largely due to misuse and vandalism by community members.
“From our needs assessment, about 30% of school furniture has been lost to community misuse and vandalism.
“In some places, desks are taken for burials or football matches and never returned. Others are deliberately destroyed and sold for scrap,” he said.
Mariere also lamented that political considerations sometimes undermine the equitable distribution of school furniture across the state.
“We will provide chairs, then when a House of Assembly member wants to do something for their constituency, they’ll consider where they can gather more votes and provide desks there, even though the school doesn’t need them.
“A senator may do the same, giving to the same school that already has enough instead of conducting a needs assessment.
“So, some schools have a surplus while others have shortages, but we’re doing everything possible to address this imbalance,” he stated.
The SUBEB chairman further addressed complaints about the shortage of teachers at the Erowa community in Isoko South Local Government Area, describing it as one of the “hard-to-reach” areas where teachers are often reluctant to serve.
“Erowa is one of those hard-to-reach areas. We thank you for bringing the issue to our notice, and we also thank the community for helping to fill the gap.
“We are currently conducting a screening exercise to determine the number of teachers in each local government so we can redistribute them adequately. We want to remove those that are too old, those that have relocated but are still on payroll,” Mariere said.
He added that the state government is working to ensure that schools in such remote areas receive adequate teacher postings, with ongoing efforts including the construction of staff quarters and the provision of extra incentives for teachers willing to work there.
Mariere disclosed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has approved the immediate supply of 1,000 desks to schools in urgent need, while an additional 16,000 dual desks are being planned under the 2025 UBE projects, with contracts expected to be awarded before the end of the year.
