In a decisive move to strengthen basic education, the Ebonyi state government has approved the Executive Bill on the establishment of the Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and other related matters, a direct response to the Federal Ministry of Education’s directive.

The Fund is intended to provide a more robust and sustainable financial mechanism to address the needs of basic education, which is foundational to the overall development of the state’s human capital.

The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh, announced the approval of the executive bill over the weekend in Abakaliki, while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday. The meeting was presided over by Governor Francis Nwifuru.

Omebeh disclosed that the Executive Bill has been sent to the State House of Assembly for further legislative action.

He further explained that once the fund is established, it will serve as a dedicated, state-level financing mechanism that would sustainably mobilize public and private resources to improve the basic education system in the state.

“The proposed State Education Development Trust Fund is designed to receive contributions from a wide array of sources, including government taxes, development partners, corporate bodies, and well-meaning indigenes towards priority investments such as infrastructure, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Information and communication technology (ICT) Integration, teachers training, scholarship, school feeding, and transport system”.

“The Education Trust Fund, when established, is expected to also offer a credible and sustainable solution to Ebonyi State’s basic education challenges by aligning resources for greater impacts through transparent governance, joint planning, and strong oversight”.

According to Omebeh, the Fund will be managed by a legally constituted Board in collaboration with the State Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to identify priorities and ensure accountable implementation, which would support the improvement of a conducive learning environment by rehabilitating thousands of classrooms, construction of fences, toilets, boreholes and training of teachers, as well as other security measures.

The Fund is expected to mark a transformative step in addressing fundamental challenges in basic education and ensure a brighter future for every child in the state, by providing a sustainable and impactful approach to educational development. (Channels TV)