The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has disclosed that student enrollment at the basic school level in Nigeria has surpassed 45 million pupils.
Dr. Hamid Boboyyi, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, made this revelation during a one-day meeting in Abuja aimed at fostering partnerships with the organized private sector.
Despite an annual allocation of over N100 billion to education by the Federal Government, Dr. Boboyyi emphasized that resources from the government alone are insufficient to sustain the education system. He urged the private sector to recognize the importance of early childhood education in contributing to the country’s development.
While acknowledging the federal government’s financial commitment to education, Dr. Boboyyi stressed the need for additional resources to ensure the delivery of quality education. He highlighted challenges such as the shortage of necessary classrooms, instructional materials, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a 29 percent reduction in the number of teachers in Nigeria’s basic school system.
The objective of the meeting was to establish a functional relationship between UBEC and the private sector, fostering a mutual understanding of activities and challenges in the basic education subsector. Dr. Boboyyi called for collaboration to address issues of quality, expanding access, and ensuring equity for the physically challenged.
Dr. Boboyyi also urged stakeholders to invest in the smart school initiative, promoting technological capacity-building for the young population. He emphasized the importance of adequately compensating and motivating teachers for the effective delivery of education.
Mrs. Adegoke Adekanla, representing the Oando Foundation, commended UBEC for its commitment to advancing basic education. She emphasized the significance of collaborative partnerships between the public and private sectors in strengthening the Universal Basic Education (UBE) program. The involvement of the private sector is seen as instrumental in enhancing resources for UBE implementation, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17.
