A review of Anambra State’s 2024 Second Quarter (Q2) budget performance, conducted by SaharaReporters, has revealed a concerning lack of financial support for education, with 265 secondary schools in the state receiving no funding at all during this period under Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration.
According to the Q2 budget report, each of the 265 secondary schools in the state was allocated N175,000 in the 2024 approved budget. However, despite this allocation, no funds were disbursed to these schools in the second quarter, marking a significant gap between budgetary plans and actual funding.
The 112-page report, which details the state’s budgetary allocations and expenditures for Q2, highlights that the Ministry of Basic Education received a total allocation of N3,955,915,682 in the 2024 state budget. Yet, only N700,631,851.43 was released to the ministry in Q2, representing a substantial underfunding. On page 9 of the report, it is further outlined that the Ministry of Basic Education oversees various key educational bodies, including the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, the Anambra State Library Board, and several specialized educational centers, along with the 265 secondary schools and other educational agencies such as the Adult and Non-Formal Education Agency.
In addition to the underfunding of secondary schools, the budget performance report reveals that the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, which was allocated N2,131,842,737 in the original budget, received just N865,550 in the second quarter. Similarly, the Anambra State Library Board, which had a budgetary allocation of N1,008,145, was allocated only N100,000 in Q2.
Other educational institutions, such as the Exam Development Centre, which was allocated N554,479,212 in the original budget, received N205,546,531 during the same period. The Post Primary School Service Commission (PPSSC), which was allocated N788,313,723, was given N452,342,027.43.
The report also highlights that despite each of the six zonal offices under the Post Primary School Service Commission (PPSSC) in Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Aguata, Ogidi, and Otuocha being allocated N525,000, none of these offices received any funds during the second quarter.
This failure to release allocated funds to critical sectors of the state’s education system has raised concerns about the effective implementation of education policies and the continued financial support for secondary schools and other key educational programs in Anambra State. The lack of funding for the 265 secondary schools, in particular, has been seen as a major setback for the state’s educational development, especially given the growing demand for quality education and the need for adequate resources to sustain educational activities.
