The Federal Government on Wednesday approved N8.7 billion for the procurement of textbooks and library resource materials for immediate distribution to primary and junior secondary schools across the country.
The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said this when he briefed State House Correspondents on the outcome of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting was presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Maku said the books would be distributed free of charge to primary one to six pupils in public primary and Junior Secondary Schools as part of a deliberate effort to uplift the quality of education in the country.
“Also today, in continuation of President Jonathan’s administration to improve the quality of education in public schools in Nigeria, the Ministry of Education brought a memo to the council to procure additional books to be used in Junior Secondary Schools across the country.
“You remember that in the last two year the ministry had earlier procured books for primary schools and these books range from Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Workbook for teachers across the country.’’
He said that at least four million textbooks in English, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology, Social Studies and Library Resource Materials would be purchased for the schools.
The minister said the exercise would be funded with 15 per cent of the consolidated revenue of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Maku said that the FEC also approved N2 billion for the supply of water to the Abuja Technology Village and environs.
He said that another N427 million was approved by the council for tender and design of engineering infrastructure contract in Kyami District on Airport Road.
He said the council also approved the purchase of 40 vehicles as part of the preparation of the National Population Commission (NPC) for 2016 Census.
“One of the decisions we made in council today was the preparation by the National Population Commission for the 2016 census.
“In preparation for this, the Population Commission has brought to council a memo for the purchase of utility vehicles that would be used for field work in the course of their planning and execution of the 2016 census.
“So, we deliberated on this memo which came to council and we approved the purchase of 40 utility vehicles for the National Population Commission.
“The interesting thing about this is that the president directed that these vehicles should be purchased locally from the local manufacturers.”
The minister said that Jonathan directed that all the vehicles should be purchased locally from indigenous manufacturers.
