The Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB), on Wednesday, opened bids for the execution of projects under the 2025 Federal Government/Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)/SUBEB intervention programme.

Speaking at the bid opening ceremony in Ilorin, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the 2025 Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) intervention projects as another milestone in the state’s efforts to improve basic education delivery.

Mr AbdulRazaq, represented by the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, said that the projects would provide quality infrastructure and learning facilities in schools across the 16 local government areas of the state.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that every child had access to a safe, inclusive and conducive learning environment.

According to him, the bid opening exercise reflects the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, competitiveness and due process in public procurement.

Mr AbdulRazaq commended UBEC, KWSUBEB management, technical officers and other stakeholders for their contributions to the successful conduct of the exercise.

He urged prospective contractors to uphold integrity and professionalism while ensuring that projects are executed in line with approved specifications and timelines.

The governor also called on all participants to uphold fairness, transparency and mutual respect throughout the procurement process.

Earlier, the Executive Chairman of KWSUBEB, Shehu Adaramaja, said that the exercise underscored the state government’s commitment to transparency, accountability and effective utilisation of public resources in the education sector.

Mr Adaramaja described education as a critical tool for sustainable development and human capital transformation.

He noted that the AbdulRazaq-led administration continued to prioritise the sector through investments in infrastructure, teacher recruitment, capacity building, instructional materials and digital learning initiatives.

The executive chairman said that the intervention projects executed under previous UBEC funding cycles had recorded significant successes across the state’s 16 local government areas.

According to him, the projects have improved school infrastructure and enhanced teaching and learning through classroom construction and renovation.

“Through the projects there will be provision of furniture, construction of VIP toilets, installation of solar-powered boreholes, rehabilitation of digital literacy centres and implementation of safe school programmes, among others,” he said.

Mr Adaramaja said the 2025 intervention projects were grouped into 12 lots covering key areas of educational development.

He listed the projects to include the construction of blocks of two classrooms with offices in 14 locations, the construction of four-compartment gender-segregated VIP toilets in 15 locations, and the implementation of Safe School Initiative projects in six locations.

He said that it also included the renovation of classrooms in 50 locations and the fabrication and distribution of 4,800 units of two-seater pupils’ furniture.

Others are drilling 15 solar-powered boreholes, procuring 67,657 foundation literacy textbooks for primary two pupils and supplying sports equipment.

He added that the intervention would also cover procurement of ECCDE plastic chairs and tables, a Toyota Hiace 18-seater bus for the Social Mobilisation Department, office equipment and laptops for schools and rehabilitation of digital literacy centres.

The executive chairman assured stakeholders that the procurement process would be conducted in line with the Public Procurement Act and other extant regulations.

Mr Adaramaja urged contractors participating in the exercise to maintain professionalism and adhere strictly to approved specifications, timelines and quality standards.

He commended the federal government and UBEC for their continued support of basic education development across the country.

The chairman also praised Mr AbdulRazaq for the prompt payment of counterpart funds, which enabled the state to access UBEC matching grants.

According to him, the state has successfully accessed more than 13 years of UBEC matching grants within the last seven years. 

(NAN)