No alternative to fixing basic education in Nigeria —UBEC boss

THE new Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hameed Bobboyi, has called on state governors and other relevant stakeholders to join in the determination by the Federal Government to revamp the basic education sub-sector in the country.

Speaking on his assumption of duty as the new Executive Secretary of the commission, Bobboyi said there was no alternative to fixing the nation’s basic education sector that had suffered serious neglect in the past.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the commission, Mrs Helen Okoro, and made available to newsmen on Monday, in Abuja, said Bobboyi spoke after he took over the management of UBEC from the immediate past Executive Secretary, Dr Suleiman Dikko.

Bobboyi noted that for the country to achieve the needed quality education and production of critical mass of manpower to drive government’s development agenda, the foundation of basic education must first be established.

He acknowledged that there were multiple challenges confronting basic education sector in Nigeria, but expressed confidence that with all relevant stakeholders working together, the much desired quality basic education would be achieved.

“We cannot get it right without properly laying a solid foundation for the growth and development of basic education. Yes, basic education is on the concurrent list, we all need to work collectively to revamp the sector. I understand that the Federal Government has done a lot through UBEC. We will sustain that and we will also meet with the state governments and relevant stakeholders in this regard,” he said.

The new UBEC boss pledged to give priority attention to the welfare of staff of the commission, while also urging them to continue to discharge their duties with utmost level of patriotism, honesty and hard work.

Former Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Dikko, in his remark, listed low access to the matching grant by some state governments as a major challenge of the commission.

He, however, said with the coming of the current administration, there was remarkable improvement in access of the intervention funds by some state governments.