THE Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) last Monday in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, launched the 2010 community'initiated self-help project, with a marching order from the Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike to put in motion machinery in the next few weeks to embark on the launch of the 2011 edition of the project.The project is a component of the UBEC, which according to the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed, is aimed at among others encouraging community ownership and participation and sustained commitments to the positive development of basic schools located in their areas of jurisdiction and in the general UBEC activities.He said that the initiative had provided one of the most visible impacts of the current reforms in the education sector, adding, 'The gains recorded so far is not limited to physical infrastructural development of our institutions but also extended to core elements that are very crucial to the sustenance of noted gains in all facets of our education delivery.'Wike at the flag-off ceremony, which took place at the banquet hall, Government House, Yenegoa disbursed the sum of N93.7 million representing the first tranche support to 125 UBE 2010 self-help project beneficiary communities in Bayelsa State.He said the programme is in line with the present administration's recognition of the central role education play as the pivot for any social, economic and political transformation of the society.He said since the inauguration of UBEC in 2004 the Federal Government had consistently committed two per cent of its consolidated revenue funds to the progressive realisation of the national objectives on basic education, out of which 14 per cent is utilised for addressing educational imbalance among states of the federation.He said in working towards ensuring that Nigerians have access to qualitative basic education, the Federal Government believed strongly that the process could be accelerated through collaborative efforts of all stakeholders, noting that while the Federal Government would continue to meet its obligations on basic various supply-side initiatives. It is also convinced that providing demand-side interventions in the form of conditional grants or targeted subsidies for education to communities can impact positively in improving access, equity, quality and outcomes in basic education.'This is why the progressive initiative by the UBEC to provide financial support to communities for self-help projects in the areas of basic education should be highly commended.' He, therefore directed the Commission to ensure that the 2011 version of the launch takes place at a date next month in order to keep the momentum of achievements so far recorded.According to him, 'This occasion therefore, is one of the events put together to showcase government's strategic intervention in the basic education sub-sector and its commitment to effective partnership with stakeholders in key aspects of social service delivery.'For Wike, the programme was the current administration's peculiar home grown initiative aimed at ensuring that national educational mandates and global expectations were well addressed and the Nigerian child offered ample opportunity to receive functional education, especially the acquisition of literacy, numeracy and life skills.Wike noted that government in line with its transformation agenda had taken steps towards ensuring the full participation of key stakeholders, not only in the sector funding but also in the administration of specific programme components.In view of this, he said it has become imperative to establish the right framework towards ensuring that states and local governments, private sector organisations, civil society organisations and communities are not left behind in efforts geared towards providing quality education to Nigerian children.To this end, he said government welcomed and approved UBEC's initiative in respect of utilising 14 per cent educational imbalance funds for addressing educational imbalance among and within states. 'We trust, therefore that the benefiting communities will judiciously apply the funds to complement national efforts and strategies for providing universal and qualitative basic education for all children, irrespective of the status in life.'This will serve not only to encourage other communities to key into the programme and attract similar patronage, but also influence the Federal Government to increase funding for the programme to benefit more resourceful communities.'He commended Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva for the 'visible achievements' he has recorded in providing quality education at all levels to the people of Bayelsa State, stressing that the FME would continue to work in partnership with all states of the federation and the FCT, the 774 local government councils and other donour agencies to ensure that the national goals of providing quality education to all Nigerians were fully realised as soon as possible.Sylva, who performed the launch, commended the Ministry of Education and UBEC for embarking on the exercise in the state, an indication of the trust and confidence the two bodies had in the state, stressing that his administration would continue to place issues relating to education on the front burners. The governor, however tasked the FME to come out with relevant policy guidelines that would strengthen the nation's educational system in order to make the youths more responsible and employable.He identified failure of education policies over the years as the bane of the social uprising that the nation had experienced over the recent years. He listed the youth militancy in the Niger Delta; the Boko Haram in some parts of the north as well as armed robbery and kidnappings in the south-east as the immediate consequences of failure to evolve the right education policies.Therefore, as a demonstration of the commitment of his administration, the governor took over the settlement of the counterpart funding of the benefiting communities, so as to reduce the burden on the people of the rural communities.Mohammed said the nine year UBE programme is designed to eradicate illiteracy, ignorance and poverty with the general goal of stimulating and accelerating national development, political consciousness and national integration.According to the UBEC boss, in order to achieve this lofty objective, the government established the UBE Commission through which its intervention to states can be equitably administered in order to ensure that noticeable gaps are tackled, standards set and greater impetus given to on-going reforms in the basic education sub-sector.In his address, the Bayelsa Commissioner for Education, Prof. Tuemi Asuka said the programme should be taken as an opportunity to effectively reflect on the negative ideas that have made the people captive in their attempt to develop the society.
Click here to read full news..
