BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF
The Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC management under the Executive Secretary, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Hamid Bobboyi and his team has not relented in improving the relationship between the commission and the sub-nationals, which included the Federal Capital Territory FCT as the host .
Since the FCT is the microcosm of the sub-nationals but hosting the nation’s capital , as it is statutorily bound to operate under the regulatory framework of the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC.
Though, with a larger nomenclature and extra ordinary roles beyond the ones been played by state governments which fell under the same administrative purview, the role of FCT Universal Basic Education Board FCT UBEB cannot be over emphasized.
Owing to the extra ordinary nature , the FCT had become abode housing all ethnic nationalities and playing similar roles been carried out by the UBEC even with a sub national status.
The extra larger roles been consummated by FCT UBEB placed it in a vantage position to cooperate both administratively and policy thrust to enable the two critical agencies and stakeholders drive Basic Education both at the national and sub- national level of FCT.
The recent familiarization visit by the Management of the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Barrister Nzenwo Nyesom Wike, whose roles administratively represents that of the the FCT governor is to drive the problems of Out of School Children OOSC, the proliferation of Almajiri students among many other issues that had militated against Basic and Junior Secondary Schools Education in the FCT.
With special status both in administration and employment of Education staffers in the FCT, going by the nation’s city status , the need to kick start policy framework been introduced by UBEC to sub-nationals from the FCT became germane, hence the working visit by the management of UBEC recently .
With huge investment in FCT Basic Education through infrastructure development, training and retraining of staffers , provision of instructional materials, scholarships , books among many others, kick-starting and familiarizing with the administrative head of FCT was a sign of more investment in Basic and Junior Secondary Schools Education in FCT, and by implications the entire country.
During the visit by the management of the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, he expressed worries and confidence that the problems of Basic Education in FCT, was not surmountable, considering the huge investment been made by the Minister in all areas .
While promising to continue to provide the enabling environment, the Executive Secretary and his team pleaded with the Minister to make more efforts in the area of assessment of quarterly and annual grants meant for the FCT, so as to contribute to the giant strides been made by FCT to Basic Education.
He said the commission has built a state of the art Digital Resource Centre DRC to accommodate the newly established smart schools after the world ravaged pandemic of COVID-19, threat of climate change and conflicts that may be envisaged on the long run .
While commending the Minister for prompt payment of salaries regularly to teachers at the FCT, he also thank him for resolving the lingering crises of arears of salaries , promotions among others for teachers of the six area councils of the FCT.
In his remarks, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike promised to invest heavily in removing school age children from the streets of Abuja , by given adequate attention to Out of School Children OOSC, introduce measures that will curb those flouting the order.
He promised that the FCT will invest heavily in digital technology and Education, as over $17B has been set aside to support Basic Education and Junior Secondary Schools JSS in the FCT.
He lauded the management of UBEC for the synergy and good leadership at the agency , stating that the agency had been lucky in the area of management since his days as Minister of State , Education during President Good luck Jonathan’s administration , urging them to sustain the tempo.
The FCT Minister asked the management of UBEC to feel free in their requests for any assistance at the nations city , promising to continue to work hand in hand not only to improve Basic Education, but welfare of staffers of the commission.
The visit was a pointer to continuous collaboration between the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC and sub -nationals, begining from the FCT in the quest to bequeath good leadership, programs at the Basic Education level .
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
