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UBEC; Targeting Zero Out of School Children OOSC to Improve Basic Education in Nigeria
BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF
With the determination to turn the tide of negative figure of Out of School Children OOSC been bandied by experts across the globe with particular reference to Nigeria put at 17 Million, were concerted efforts to reduce the trend appeared insurmountable , the new leadership of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC under Dr Aisha Garba , the World Bank trained Education expert has vowed to reverse the trend.
With both local and international exposure to tackling the basis of Out of School Children OOSC conundrum along with both local and international stakeholders, it will address the attempt to bring to fore the incidence to national calamity.
Drawing from the national discourse been proposed by the new leadership of UBEC to enable it achieve quality Basic Education, no doubt will galvanize and encourage more programs that will improve the positive consequences as against the negative parameters.
She avered the possibilities of reversing through concerted efforts , cooperation with the stakeholders and staffers of the commission at all levels, through hard work , policy framework, productivity and dedication to duty.
Since Charity they said , Begins at Home, no doubt the encouragement and cooperation of staff of the commission a and determination towards achieving the set objectives through a revolving policy thrust that will drive Basic Education is realizable.
While reeling out the local and international statistics of the performance of Basic Education as the foundation to other forms of the subsequent ones , she expressed reservations on the trend of the current development, while seeking for brisk and uninterrupted development with their cooperation.
She expressed regrets on the impact of Basic Education that had become a selective trend and privilege, rather than the rights of every Nigerians to attain Basic Education across board., not minding the class, gender , economic status as captured in local and international articles that boardered on Basic Education.
The most worrisome according to the new UBEC boss , it is not resolving Out of School Children OOSC problems, but even those in school are not learning properly or lagging behind,, which has become another dimension.
She expressed more troubles on the impression by the World Bank, and UNICEF through its assessment and capital index, while reassuring the staffers that with collaboration, cooperation and synergy, it is obvious the trend will be reversed.
No doubt, the zeal , pronouncement and actions has already started reshaping the conduct of the organization under the new leadership of Dr Aisha Garba as the Chief Executive Officer CEO, Executive Secretary (ES), of tue Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC.
The statement further reads .
“The newly appointed Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission,UBEC, Aisha Garba, has assumed duty with the promise to deploy strategies to advance delivery of quality basic education for the millions of school-aged children in Nigeria.”
“Garba who spoke during a meeting with members of management and staff of the commission recently in Abuja, emphasised that education is the right of every Nigerian child regardless of religion, class, gender or economic condition as captured in the Article 26 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
“She lamented that with approximated 17 million children, Nigeria has one of the highest number of out-of-school children in the world, constituting a staggering obstacle to the nation’s progress towards universal access to education for every Nigerian child.”
“Garba added that even when children are in school, they are lagging behind in learning outcomes.”
“According to a World Bank Capital Index, students in Nigeria score 309 on a harmonized test score scale, where 625 is considered advanced attainment and 300 represents minimum attainment.”
“And according to UNICEF, the primary school completion rate for Nigeria was at 59% in 2020 for boys and 51% for girls. The secondary school completion rate is even lower, with boys at 42% and girls at 36%.”
“Access to higher education is still a challenge: while about 2 million candidates sit for the JAMB examinations every year, only about 500,000 are accepted,” she stated.”
“The UBEC boss, extended appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ministers of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa and Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad for her appointment to serve the nation.”
“She highlighted the importance of partnership and collaboration to drive development of Basic Education in the country.”
“Garba said: “Today, being my first meeting with you as Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission which was set up in 2004 with a mandate to formulate and coordinate all aspects of the Universal Basic Education programme and establish minimum standards for basic education in Nigeria.”
“My goal is to deliver on this mandate which includes strengthening collaboration, partnerships and institutional learning for effective service delivery.”
“Together, we will work to increase access, improve quality, provide conducive and safe learning environments, supply adequate teaching and learning materials, and adopt the concept of ‘best fit’ in addressing specific basic education challenges, state by state and region by region (not a one-size-fits-all solution),” she stated.”
“She added that the commission under her watch would seek multi-sectoral approach to address the demand and supply-side barriers to basic education which has continued to exacerbate the challenge of out of school children.”
“According to her, UBEC would work collaboratively with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Commissions and Development Partners on reforms and interventions to increase access and significantly reduce the high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.’
“She listed some key action plans to include the deployment of appropriate interventions, use of technology, construction of critical infrastructure and the upgrading of school facilities.”
“We will ensure the integration of children with special needs, promote education for the girl-child, and work with relevant partners to make schools safe and conducive for learning.”
“In addition, we will work with local government education authorities and community stakeholders in expanding access to basic education in rural, disadvantaged and hard-to-reach jurisdictions. We will work closely with state governors to increase the uptake and utilisation of the UBEC Matching Grants through strategic partnerships and engagement,” she said.”
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
In a significant development, the Rivers State House of Assembly has officially launched an investigation into the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, amid serious allegations of age falsification.
The decision was made during a plenary session on Thursday, where lawmakers unanimously voted to invite the Department of State Services (DSS) to conduct a thorough inquiry into these claims. This resolution, passed by a voice vote, underscores the assembly’s commitment to accountability and transparency in the judiciary.
As the investigation unfolds, details regarding the specific allegations and supporting evidence are anticipated to be released to the public. The DSS is expected to initiate its inquiry promptly, shedding light on this pressing issue.
Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops.
The Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of blogger, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), for “criminal defamation” of a Gospel Artist, Mercy Chinwo.
The magistrate ordered the Nigeria Police Force, together with other law enforcement agencies, to arrest VeryDarkMan and produce him to court to answer to the criminal allegations levelled against him.
Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna issued the bench warrant on Thursday, March 13, 2025 when VeryDarkMan failed to appear before the magistrate followed a court summons on March 5, 2025 for him to do so.
Although lawyer to VeryDarkMan, Deji Adeyanju, appealed to the Magistrate to rethink the bench warrant and that he would personally produce his client in court, the Magistrate rejected the appeal and insisted that VeryDarkMan be produced in court by security agencies.
The bench warrant stemmed from alleged defamatory statements made by VDM on social media, accusing Chinwo of involvement in a contractual dispute and the purported diversion of $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as Eezee Tee.
In support of her claims, Chinwo furnished the court with documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, to substantiate that VDM’s allegations were not only entirely false but damning and injurious to her public image and reputation.
The complainant’s lawyers led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, Chinwo said the alleged actions of the defendant are contrary to Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
Chinwo’s counsel had also dragged VDM before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking N1.1bn damages against the blogger.
The lawyer sought an order compelling VDM to delete, retract, and issue a public apology for all allegedly false and defamatory statements made against Chinwo and her brand.
Accuses Chevron Against Taking Side With Itsekiris, Warns American Oil Company To Obey Court’s Judgement
Leaders of Benikrukru Community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State are now facing threats from the various militant groups and individuals from the Itsekiri ethnic nationality following the judgement of the Federal High Court, Warri, which barred the management of the American Oil Conglomerate, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) from paying compensation to some Itsekiri communities in its Abiteye fields located in the coastal axis of Delta State.
Reports available to newsmen showed that Itsekiri militant groups are sending out threats to unleash violence and blow up the nation’s economic assets as well as death threats to notable citizens of Benikrukru community in the aftermath of the judgement delivered against Chevron and hitherto Itsekiri host communities in the Abiteye oil fields on January 31st, this year.
In one of the widely circulated threat messages, a self-acclaimed “General Iwedundun Akpakpa, said,
“It has come to the attention of GEN.
IWEDUNDUN AKPAKPA, leader of the Itsekiri Defense Council (IDC), that there is a
48-hour ultimatum given to all Itsekiris working in the Abiteye flow station to accept that they are ljaws or leave the flow station, the ultimatum also included that all Itsekiris in their God given land of Abiteye should leave the community within 48hours and Deghele and Bateren Community will start paying rent to over a paid purported court judgments in a location in Abiteye.”
The Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, had ordered Chevron to “discontinue payment of compensation to Ode-Itsekiri and Deghele communities.”
The judgement was delivered by Hon. Justice H. A. Nganjiwa, as a result of a suit filed by indigenes of Benikrukru community against Chevron, Ode-Itsekiri, and other defendants in the case marked FHC/WR/CS/49/2024.
Plaintiffs in the case, Pa. Kwekwewei Onimiyenmene, Pastor Paul Willie, Elder David Kiriodougha, Captain John Abase, Elder Dogood Ogoloru, and Madam Goldcoast Jimmy, on behalf of Benikrukru Community, had sought a declaration of the court to vacate the Consent Judgment, which was first entered on March 12, 1982, in several suits involving Gulf Oil Company (now Chevron), which had expired.
Listed in the suit were Chevron Nigeria Limited as 1st, David Mode Akoma, 2nd, Doris Odemi 3rd, Pa. Samson Amaola 4th, Steve Edema 5th, Henry Temisan 6th, defendants respectively (the 2nd-6th defendants are sued for themselves and as representatives of the Ode-Itsekri/Deghele communities of Delta state).
Also listed as respondents were Dr. Peter Etchie, Friday Etuwewe, Esimaje Henry, Olori-ebi Lugard Etchie, Isaac Etchie and Sunny Etchie are listed as the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th, defendants respectively (the 7th-12th defendants are sued for themselves and as representatives of the Omateye family of Bateren community of Delta state).
The plaintiffs sought among other things the continued application of a 1982 Consent Judgment which they claimed had expired and is no longer enforceable, which hitherto governed compensation payments for the use of lands belonging to the Benikrukru community in the Gbaramatu Kingdom.”
The court granted the prayers of the plaintiffs.
Apparently frustrated by the outcome of the suit, Itsekiri militias and other aggrieved individuals have threatened to unleash terror on Benikrukru community, its leaders and indigenes.
Specifically, Akpakpa, said, “Let it be known that Abiteye land and all surrounding lands (Deghele and Bateren) belong to the Itsekiris. It was the Itsekiris who leased the Abiteye flow station to Gulf in the 90s; all the documents are there. We, the IDC, will ensure that all Itsekiri land is protected at all times.
“In the coming days, we will cause damages that will not only be felt by the Delta State Government but will also be felt by the federal government of Nigeria. When this happens, both the state and federal governments should hold (name withheld) responsible for the bloodbath and economic losses that this will lead to in Nigeria.”
“No Itsekiri child will be sent out of his land; the illegal community known as Kenyagbene on the soil of Abiteye will be brought down.
Benikrukru will be brought down.
This will be another round of the Okuoama crisis in Warri South West. It will happen. We shall all dance naked,” the faceless Itsekiri militant added.
To this end, fears have gripped Benikrukru and its citizens following the threat by the Itsekiri to unleash mayhem on the areas in protest against the landmark judgement.
Meanwhile, a Niger Delta group, Movement for Peace and Justice in the Niger Delta (MPJND) has fingered the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, as sponsor of the threat of violence by Akpakpa and others.
The MPJND, in a statement issued yesterday by its National Coordinator, Okejoto Ezekiel, said the Itsekiri king was the brain behind the planned action by his subjects to cause chaos in reaction to the outcome of the land dispute.
To exonerate himself, the group asked the Olu of Warri to come out clean by publicly condemning the planned actions and call his subjects to order.
Rather than result to violence, the group enjoined the Itsekiri monarch to prevail on his subjects to employ legitimate means to seek redress.
“The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III should be held responsible if his subjects carry out their threats to unleash terror on Benikrukru community and its citizens. We should not forget the bloody Warri crisis in a jiffy. No group has a monopoly of violence. The Itsekiri king should call his people to order so as to clear the doubts that he is the one instigating and encouraging them,” the group added.
In the same vein, the group accused Chevron’s management of apathy towards the judgement.
It accused Chevron of demonstrating lukewarm attitudes in carrying out the orders of the court as contained in the judgement.
MPJND in the statement, further said that top echelons of Chevron were having sympathy for the Itsekiri by alleged refusal to comply with the court order.
The group cautioned Chevron against partisanship, adding that, “Chevron must obey the judgement of the Federal High Court, Warri, ordering it to stop forthwith payment of compensation to Ode-Itsekiri, Deghele and other Itsekiri communities in the Abiteye fields.”
“It’s appalling that the management of Chevron is taking side with the Itsekiri in the legal debacle despite that a court of competent jurisdiction has taken a position by delivering a landmark judgment on the vexatious issue.”