Akure — SOME state governments in the country have been accused by the Universal Basic Education Board Commission (UBEC) of diverting the commission's fund for other purposes at the detriment of education.

Chairman of the Board of UBEC board, Professor Anezi Okoro said in Akure yesterday that "some state governments have been using the commission's fund to pay their primary school teachers' salaries contrary to the guidelines of the board."

According to him, "some state governments illegally constituted an advisory body in order to disburse the funds made available to their states in disobedience to the UBEC's rule.

Speaking on his behalf, a member representing the South-West geo-political zone, Mr. Boluwaji Kunlere said during the launch of UBEC programme in the state, four states have been misappropriating the UBEC's fund and would soon be disciplined.

However, he commended the Ondo State government for assessing the UBEC's fund and enacting the enabling law to benefit from the Federal Government's fund to uplift primary education in the state.

Governor Olusegun Agagu in his address said his administration had purchased books and equipment worth N169 million for primary and junior secondary schools in the state. He said since the UBEC law was enacted in the state in year 2003, his administration had not failed to fulfill its own part of the programme through payment of counterpart fund as at when due.

"The essence of UBEC programme as laid down by the Federal Government popularly tagged the 9-3-4 system of education which has now replace the erstwhile 6-3-3-4 system is to give our children the opportunity to have at least free and compulsory basic education up to the junior secondary school 3 level," he said.