The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is set to introduce an open schooling programme designed to provide a flexible learning model in Nigeria.
Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, UBEC’s Executive Secretary, announced this at a meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja. He explained that the initiative aims to significantly broaden access to basic education.
Represented by Deputy Executive Secretary, Service, Professor Isiaka Kolawole, Dr. Bobboyi emphasized the essential role of CSOs in ensuring educational access for every Nigerian child. He urged them to support efforts to enhance service delivery across the nation.
“UBEC is finalizing preparations for the Open Schooling Programme in the basic education sub-sector as an accelerated educational intervention,” he stated. “This programme is intended to provide a flexible learning approach and support those who cannot access traditional UBE settings.”
He noted that despite substantial investments and efforts by the government, corporate and private sectors, and privileged individuals, there is still much to be done to improve basic education in Nigeria.
Professor Bala Zakari, UBEC’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Technical, highlighted the status of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme in Nigeria. He revealed that data from the 2022 personnel audit in the basic education sector indicated a decline in qualified teachers.
“There is an acute shortage of qualified teachers in public primary schools. Of the 694,078 teachers required at this level, only 499,202 are available, leaving a gap of 194,876. ECCDE and Junior Secondary Schools appear to have more teachers than needed,” he said.
Professor Zakari called for a review of the 2004 UBE Act to address these issues and urged state governments to allocate more resources to education.
The event was organized to foster robust interactions and idea-sharing between the Commission and CSOs to ensure the successful implementation of the UBE programme.
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