BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF
The Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC roadmap encapsulated in the 2021-2030 was geared towards improving on the glaring lapses of the previous one executed between 2015-2020.
Even though, with a considerable improvement and successes recorded in the management, enrollment, provision of both infrastructure and technical know- how, the demands of the current order does not conform with the subsisting situations.
This is the desire for accelerated Basic Education programs, reduce to the barest minimum Out of School Children OOSC, strengthen post COVID response with a debilitating effects, increase the dynamics of funding and quality outcomes in Basic Education in Nigeria.
With the previous roadmap, 2015-2020 which guaranteed access to quality Education, equitable distribution of both materials, equipment and wealth, response to emergencies and crises particularly the artificial and natural phenomenon like COVID among many others, determined a quality deployment and learning outcomes, teachers development and management.
As part of its enlarged responsibility, it was meant to strengthen the system desiring improvement, Education financing and resourcing, sector coordination as well as wholistic collaboration and partnership that ensured an improved outcomes and inculcation of Basic Education on the pupils.
With a coordinated achievements coming from the half a decade roadmap that lasted between 2015-2020, the need for improvement on the new roadmap that was extended to a decade of between 2021-2020 aligning with the SDGs decade of action of 2020-2030, to grant more access to Education by the vulnerable Out of School Children OOSC, eliminate continuous learning, increase access , collection of more stakeholders participation, garner more funds as a corollary, with an improved teachers quality and immediate response to emergency situations wherever and whenever it arises.
This was in line with the working template of 2018 National Personnel Audit NPA with the enrollment of 27.9M out of 40.8M of pupils ranging from age 6-11 with percentage of male enrollment put at 52% while the female at 48% with GPI 0.95 improved figure, with more performance in the 2022 NPA in line with its digitized data collection.
In preparation for the UBEC decade of action in sync with Sustainable Development Goals SDGs Goals 4, the commission had embarked on adequate preparation of both manpower, infrastructure among many others which included construction of 41, 792 classrooms across the country, 6,085 offices, 12,208 toilets to reduce open defecation to the lowest level that will ensure a healthy environment for teaching and learning, provided 1, 120,386 furnitures across schools in federal , states and local governments as well as 1,337 boreholes was provided for adequate pipe borne water.
It also took cognizance of the enrollment of pupils with special needs, Almajiris, and adequate provision for girl child Education on the template.
With the 2021-2030 roadmap reflecting the decade of action of SDGs Goals 4, with the contextual global outlook, which encapsulated inclusive and equitable quality Education, and creating life long opportunities for all and sundry in the category of Basic Education across the country and globe in accordance with the 17 SDGs Goals.
The target of the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, is to achieve their own targets within the term frame and beyond 2050, with synergy and relevance to SDGs Goals 4, build a new social contract for education towards 2050, harmonized all relevant problems and solutions as well as align and realign relevant stakeholders towards meeting the targets .
In doing this, efforts would be harnessed between the stakeholders both at national, state and local governments so as to bring on board modest and modern Basic Education system acceptable globally in Nigeria.
UBEC in the last seven years was actively involved in bringing on board needed policies and programs that was required towards sane Basic Education program for learners from the outcomes of 2015-2020 roadmap, and to the design and take off of the 2021-2030 roadmap and beyond.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
