The Kwara State Government has officially scrapped the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) levy in all public primary schools, replacing it with annual school grants to cover operational costs.

Prof. Shehu Adaramaja, Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), made the announcement during the opening of bids for the 2024 (3rd and 4th quarters) UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects.

“The Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has approved the cessation of PTA payments in all public primary schools across the state — from Primary 1 to 6. There will be no more PTA levies in Kwara State,” he said.

Prof. Adaramaja added that the government would also provide English and Mathematics textbooks free of charge to pupils in public primary schools.

He outlined that the intervention projects would include constructing classroom blocks with offices and toilets, remodeling and renovating classrooms, drilling solar-powered boreholes with tank stands, rehabilitating digital literacy centers, providing foundation literacy materials, and fabricating and distributing two-seater pupils’ furniture. The Safe Schools Initiative will also be implemented in selected local government areas.

Furthermore, Governor AbdulRazaq has approved the payment of 2025 counterpart funds for UBEC/SUBEB projects. Prof. Adaramaja urged contractors handling the projects to adhere strictly to specifications, warning that substandard work would not be tolerated.

He praised the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Hajiya Aisha Garba, and other key stakeholders for their contributions to the programme’s success.

Speaking on behalf of bidders, Maroof Ahmed, Secretary of the Indigenous Contractors Association, thanked the government for the opportunity and assured that members would deliver quality projects on time.