22nd October, 2010
The Federal Government has ordered the UBEC Management and the 36 states SUBEB Chairmen in the country to ascertain the number of ”out of school children” in Nigeria”.
The Minister of State for Education, Barrister Kenneth Gbagi dropped this hint at the Mapo Hall in Ibadan , capital of Oyo State, South West Nigeria, while speaking yesterday at the quarterly meeting of UBEC Management with SUBEB Chairmen across the 36 states of the federation.
Barrister Gbagi declared that it has become imperative to know the number of children who are up to school age and are yet to have access to the Universal Primary Education despite the importance the present administration is giving to the education sector.
According to him, ”it is disturbing to note that many children still hawk wares during school hours in all states of the federation and the FCT when they are supposed to be in school.Efforts must be intensified by all concerned to stop this unfortunate situation.”
He pointed out that for UBEC and SUBEB Boards across the nation to combat the trend, the time has come for the two bodies to ”undertake aggressive continuous campaign in diverse media across the federation to enhance enrollment and conducting a nationwide survey to ascertain the actual number of out of school children”.
Gbagi noted that as the arrowheads in the implementation of the Universal Basic Education programme at the federal and state levels, UBEC Management and the SUBEB Chairmen ”have critical roles to play in the implementation of the roadmap, especially in the areas of access and equity, standards and quality assurance”.
His added: ”We all should bear in mind that the onus of boosting enrolment, access, quality, equity and relevance in basic education in the country rests squarely on the Commission and the SUBEBs. This must be pursued vigorously.”
The minister observed that the UBEC Management and the SUBEB Chairmen should not hesitate to achieve such ‘by fashioning a way of enhancing the integration of children with special needs and others hitherto excluded from the formal education system.
The Executive Secretary UBEC, Dr Ahmed Modibo Mohammed in his address said that ”the essence of the quarterly meeting of UBEC Management with SUBEB Chairmen has been to constantly review basic education programmes and progress in order to remain constantly focused in the delivery of UBE”.
He stated that the meeting will among other things afford the bodies the opportunity ”to assess the performance of UBEC and the SUBEBs as we jointly match steadily and steadfastly on to the 2015 date for the achievement of EFA and MDGs”.
While declaring thee meeting open, the Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala said ”Oyo State government is presently giving premium to the development of the education sector, bearing in mind that it is pivotal to other sectors”.
”The priority this government gives education is demonstrated by its inclusion as one of the key items in the 13-point agenda of this administration. Particular attention is placed on the provision of qualitative educational delivery at the basic education level being the foundation on which other levels of education rest on,” he added.
By Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
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