In recent years, the Ebonyi State government has taken commendable steps to prioritize education in its fiscal agenda. Budgetary allocations to the sector have steadily increased, painting a promising picture of commitment towards quality education, improved infrastructure, and better welfare for teachers. On paper, the figures inspire hope. In practice, however, the story is less inspiring.
Across several public schools in the state, learning conditions remain poor. Dilapidated classrooms, insufficient teaching materials, underpaid staff, and low student performance continue to define the educational landscape. This disparity between rising budget figures and failing schools poses a troubling question: why is increased funding not leading to better educational outcomes?
According to Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Wike, CON – the current FCT Minister and a former Minister of Education – Nigeria currently allocates no less than ₦140 billion to the education sector nationally. Ebonyi State, for its part, has mirrored this trend in prioritization. In 2019, the state claimed full implementation of its education budget. By 2020, there was a reported 5% increase in the sector’s budget compared to the previous year. In 2022, ₦18.29 billion was earmarked for education, out of which ₦10.73 billion had been spent by the end of the third quarter.
Yet, the impact of this spending remains limited. Most of the funds are channeled into recurrent expenditure. Reports show that up to 53% of the education budget in Ebonyi goes into recurrent costs—primarily salaries and administrative expenses—leaving little for capital development. In essence, funding is consumed more by running the system than by improving it.
Despite these limitations, efforts from civil society groups are making noticeable contributions. One Youth Global, a non-governmental organisation, recently organized a bootcamp in Abakaliki (June 15th–21st), which produced two debate champions—one from CSMT School in Ebonyi—and awarded four students a ₦1 million scholarship grant to attend any public university in Nigeria. Through activities like debates, quiz clubs, academic sponsorships, and a youth policy summit, the organization is actively bridging gaps in education by empowering students and amplifying youth voices in policymaking.
During the event, the group also called on President Bola Tinubu and state governors to intensify advocacy for educational development. They highlighted the alarming figure of over 20 million out-of-school children in Nigeria and urged urgent action. The irony remains: substantial funds flow into education, yet the learning environment continues to deteriorate.
So why the persistent underperformance? Several core issues come into play:
The Illusion of Progress
While budget records reflect growth in allocation, on-ground realities in LGAs like Izzi, Afikpo, and Onicha suggest otherwise. Many schools still operate under leaking roofs, with overcrowded classrooms and insufficient teaching aids. The gap between official statistics and everyday experience widens year by year.
Budgeting Without Implementation
Allocation does not guarantee release. Bureaucratic bottlenecks and selective disbursement mean schools often receive only a fraction of their entitled funds. In this climate, budgeting becomes performative—a symbolic gesture devoid of tangible results.
Corruption and Mismanagement
Funds meant for building infrastructure or supplying textbooks often vanish through opaque contracts. Projects may be announced but never executed, and the absence of robust accountability mechanisms allows the cycle of embezzlement to thrive.
Weak Monitoring and Evaluation Systems
Even when projects commence, there is little oversight. Many are left incomplete or delivered poorly. The state lacks effective monitoring bodies to ensure responsible spending and quality assurance in execution.
The Teacher Crisis
Teachers remain overworked, undertrained, and underpaid. There has been no large-scale recruitment of new educators for several years—despite repeated public assurances—resulting in a chronic staffing shortage. However, in May 2024, Governor Francis Nwifuru announced plans to recruit 1,700 new teachers for primary and secondary schools, alongside a ₦10,000 salary increment for civil servants. By mid‑2025, the Ebonyi State Secondary Education Board had released results for a secondary school teachers recruitment exercise and scheduled interviews between June 23 and July 18. These steps indicate progress, but long-standing gaps persist. Classrooms are overcrowded; many teachers still juggle multiple subjects outside their specialization. Without sustained professional development, adequate pay, and manageable workloads, teacher morale remains low—and student learning continues to suffer.
Rural Neglect
While urban schools may see some level of attention, rural communities like Ezza North and Ivo are often overlooked. Students trek long distances to poorly maintained schools that lack basic amenities like toilets and furniture. The result? Low attendance, especially among girls.
Misplaced Priorities
Often, the education strategy focuses more on infrastructure than learning outcomes. True success in education goes beyond buildings—it lies in cultivating critical thinking, literacy, and problem-solving skills. Organisations like One Youth Global understand this and design their interventions accordingly, but the government’s broader strategy still falls short in this regard.
Ebonyi State’s education woes are not just about money—they reflect deeper structural and administrative failures. For real change to occur, funding must be matched with transparency, accountability, strong evaluation systems, and teacher empowerment. Community involvement and civil society partnerships must be prioritized, and funding must target not just physical infrastructure, but also student development.
The recent teacher recruitment efforts are encouraging and mark a step in the right direction. However, without a sustained commitment to teacher welfare, regular recruitment cycles, and capacity-building through training and support, these efforts risk becoming temporary fixes.
Until reform goes deeper—beyond budgetary announcements and ceremonial projects—the paradox will remain: millions spent, yet progress stalls. The future of Ebonyi’s children deserves more than figures on a budget—it demands action, sincerity, and long-term vision.
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