The AGILE Project Coordinator, Hajiya Aishatu Aliyu Isoga, on Tuesday convened a strategic meeting at Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Lafia, with the School Improvement Grant (SIG) Consultant, Chief Education Officers (CEOs), and School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) school-level signatories.
The meeting focused on finalizing and signing the indemnity agreement ahead of the disbursement of the School Improvement Grants to qualified public secondary schools across the Southern and Northern Zones of the state.
“We are set to disburse funds into various SBMC accounts, provided that all signatories have signed the indemnity agreement and complied with our guidelines,” Hajiya Aishatu stated. She noted that beneficiary schools have prepared well-prioritized School Improvement Plans ready for implementation, and only those meeting the set criteria will receive funds in the first phase.
According to her, only signatories to accounts opened with Fidelity Bank will be allowed to sign the indemnity agreement, while requests for changes in account signatories will only be considered if there is a valid reason.
“This is a community development project, and we want full community involvement. That is why the SBMC Chairman and Treasurer must come from the community. On no account should the Principal or Treasurer be a staff member of the school; this is to ensure transparency,” she explained.
The Lead Consultant for the AGILE School Improvement Grant, Qs. (Dr) Ruwa T. Fadason, supervised the practical signing exercise and briefed SBMC officials, especially Principals, on the rules of engagement. He cautioned them against any form of financial mismanagement, warning that it could affect their salaries, retirement benefits, and even personal assets.
The signing of the indemnity agreement is seen as a major step toward promoting accountability and transparency in the use of SIG funds, which aim to improve the quality of education, enhance learning environments, and strengthen governance structures in public schools.
The event’s highlight was the official signing of the indemnity agreement by eligible SBMC officials, marking the readiness for the upcoming SIG disbursement.