Chijioke Nwabuko, Abuja
Management of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Chairman of FCT and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) have entered into partnership to re-strategise and adopt innovative mechanisms for addressing the out-of-school challenge in the basic education sub-sector, UBEC said in a statement.
This was the focus of the 17th Quarterly Meeting of UBEC Management with Executive Chairmen of FCT and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) held in Bauchi from 10th to 13th January, with the theme, “Mop-up of out-of-School Children in Nigeria: The roles and responsibilities of UBEC and SUBEBs”.
Arising from growing concerns about the increasing global attention on the out-of-school phenomenon in the country, the meeting was convened to appraise current trends and fashion out indigeneous mechanisms for increasing access and ensuring qaulity of UBE delivery as key to addressing this challenge.
Declaring the meeting open,Nuhu Gidado, the acting governor of Bauchi state, who also doubles as the deputy governor and commissioner for Education,reiterated the State government’s commitment to the development of education in the state.
He highlighted some of the efforts in this regard to include:Capacity building for teachers,provision of instructional materials and renovation of infra structural facilities in the State.
He also lauded UBEC’s efforts and commitment to addressing issues relating to out of school children and also expressed optimism that the resolutions that would be taken at the meeting will go a long way in repositioning basic education in Nigeria for the overall benefit of the country.
The Minister of Education,Adamu Adamu, represented by the Minister of State for Education, Anthony Anwuka, remarked that the theme of the meeting was apt, having aligned with the 1st Pillar of the Federal Ministry of Education’s Strategic Plan 2016-2019, which targets to address out-of-shcool phenomenom in Nigeria.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Hamid Bobboyi, noted that the last quarterly meeting held in Jos in October 2016 afforded basic education managers the opportunity to underscore the importance of strategic planning, and its crucial role in enhancing effective delivery of basic educatioon.
He informed that, arising from that meeting, the management of UBEC and SUBEBS all over the country have committed themselves to developing Medium Term Basic Education sector Plans before the end of the first quater of 2017.
He further emphasised the need for concerted efforts towards addressing issues connected with Girl-child and Boy-child education in Nigeria.