The Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC established in 2004 by an act of the National Assembly was saddled with promoting and consolidating Basic Education in Nigeria.
Though, bedevilled with successive administrative and financial constraints,the over two decades agency has been able to navigate and established policies and programs capable of solidifying Basic Education across the country.
Under the leadership of Dr Hamid Bobboyi in the last seven years, the renowned academic and astute administrator has been able to reposition the agency charged with the administration of early education from primary 1-6 and JSS 1-3 , the foundation to early, intermediate and tertiary education.
Bobboyi whose appointment was renewed after an impressive performance during his initial four years between 2017-2021 in August , 2021 has transformed the entire Basic Education system through the introduction of numerous policies and programs.
He combined both human, structural administrative, and policy thrust to galvanize the activities of the agency for more than half a decade.
The policy of structural rejuvenation had led to the remodeling of the headquarters and zonal offices along with ensuring the compliance to job specifications, particularly in the areas of construction of classroom buildings and offices across the country.
The remodeling addressed the dearth of office accommodation both at the headquarters, zonal offices and provision of more classrooms, laboratories and ICT centres which included the newly created smart schools centres across the 36 states of the federation including FCT.
UBEC in conjunction with the NBBRI recently trained staffers in the physical planning unit with a view to confirming with job specifications in line with the modest design from primary schools and Junior Secondary Schools structures.
In line with the best fiscal policies , training and retraining of staff of the commission and by extension State universal Basic Education Commission commission SUBEBs on how best to dispense public funds, had become a routine in the last seven years and improved upon three years down the line.
Since teachers and instructors both in the academic and administration are the core of basic education, the continuous training and capacity building of primary schools teachers and instructors who are in the administrative arm of schools cannot be overemphasized.
Aside funding, training and regulating the activities of private basic schools across the country, the commission had made it a point of duty to render professional advises to promote not only basic education, but regulate their activities .
The commission introduced series of policies and programs including the promotion of basic education that will engage pupils from the early stage of their learning.
The introduction of vocational education, school to work , alternate school, among many others was capable of reducing to the barest minimum the scourge of Out of School Children OOSC, put at over 10M children in the country.
Teacher’s internship scheme, (TIS) a comprehensive program that replace Federal Teachers Scheme (FTS), has created not only job opportunities, but capable of improving primary schools and Junior Secondary Schools education in Nigeria.
The recently launched program when effectively utilized will reduce the numbers of unqualified teachers in Basic and private schools and support both the SUBEBs and others organs of basic education, towards rendering quality Basic Education in line with the SDGs Goals 4.
The ongoing synergy and partnership with both government agencies and organized private sector will not only reduce the agitation for amendment of the UBEC act of 2004 to improve funding, but provide adequate funding both from the super public agencies and the private sector to drive the Basic Education in line with the international best practices.
The recent collaboration with Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board NCDMB, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC among many organs of government will not only regulate the needed funding, but restore confidence in both government and private agencies in the judicious availment and use of available funds.
The moves will also expose the basic education to sponsorship from NNPCL, NLNG, NPA, NIMASA, NMDPRA, NUPRC, and other multinationals including the organized private sector like Dangote, BUA and Lafarge.
The introduction of 2021-2030 Roadmap, an extension of 2015-2020 Roadmap coordinated wholly by the current commission under the management of Hamid Bobboyi will be an improvement from the previous one, and in line with the template of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 4, that is addressing quality Education in the country.
The Roadmap along with the determination of the management and work force will no doubt bring about the needed reforms and improved the policy framework of Basic Education across the country.
The post COVID response by the commission with the introduction of smart schools and the construction of Digital Resource Centre DRC to coordinate the activities of smart education will not only reduced to the barest minimum the risk of any emergencies, but create employment opportunities for qualified teachers and instructors.
Three years down the line after the reappointment of the current leadership under Hamid Bobboyi in August, 2021, a lot of legacy programs and policies had been introduced that will improve Basic Education in Nigeria.
*YUSUF writes from Abuja, can be reached on [email protected].
