The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N8.68 billion for the printing and distribution of textbooks as well as library materials for public primary schools' classes one to six and junior secondary schools.
The Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, addressed State House correspondents in Abuja at the end of the FEC meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The weekly briefing was also attended by some ministers, including Labaran Maku (Information); Prof Ruqayyatu Rufai (Education) and Bala Mohammed of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Wike said the contract, to be completed in six weeks, would be funded from the utilisation of the 15 per cent and two per cent consolidated revenue fund provided as the intervention fund for the procurement of instruction materials to enhance the Universal Basic Education (UBE) in public schools.
The fund was approved by council at its 26th meeting in 2008.
He said: "To sustain the laudable project and to attain the 1:1 book ration for core subjects in all public primary schools across the 36 states and the FCT, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) intends to procure additional primaries one to six textbooks in maths, English language, Basic Science and Technology and Social Studies as well as Junior Secondary School (JSS) library resource materials for distribution to 36 states and the FCT to address the shortfalls."
