The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi, has charged the States Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and other stakeholders on ensuring provision of unhindered access to quality basic education for every Nigerian child regardless of gender, socio-economic background or geographical location.
Bobboyi gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja while declaring open a two-day annual capacity building workshop for directors of Social Mobilization from the 36 SUBEBs and FCT UBEB, as well as UBEC Social Mobilization Officers.
He noted that the gathering was an opportunity to share experiences and chart a way forward for improved Universal Basic Education (UBE) service delivery in the new year and beyond.
Bobboyi, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary, Professor Bala Zakari, said there was the need to address key issues in respect of the UBE programme implementation and providing the expected conducive environment for Nigeria’s school aged population to acquire functional basic education.
According to him, this could only be attained if all stakeholders commit to ensuring that UBE activities are well planned, implemented and sustained at the Federal, State and Local Government levels, in line with the peculiarities of the needs of specific classes of learners in each domain.
He acknowledged the key role of the SUBEB directors of Social Mobilization, UBEC Social Mobilization Officers, in securing the commitment of stakeholders and indeed all segments of the society for effective UBE delivery, saying this requires very efficient and vibrant social mobilization initiatives.
He told the participants that UBEC organised the capacity building workshop as a deliberate plan to further sharpen their skills and challenged them on effective deployment of their potentials as chief advocates and mobilizers for quality basic education delivery especially at the State and grassroots level.
He urged the officers to make the best use of the opportunity that the exercise offers to draw from the expertise made available through the resource persons and the robust interactive sessions which the workshop offers.
He reaffirmed that the success of the UBE programme was dependent on the joint efforts of all stakeholders and the effective collaboration between critical segments of the society, especially those that are key to the attainment of the ideals and set objectives of universalizing basic education across the country.
Earlier, Acting Director, Department of Social Mobilization, Dr Ossom Ossom, in his welcome remark, said the Commission has sustained the annual training for directors of Social Mobilization from the 36 SUBEBs and FCT UBEB, as well as UBEC Social Mobilization Officers in view of its significant impact in implementation of UBE programmes in the respective states of the Federation.
He said there was also the need to continually build the capacity of the officers, while at the same, create an avenue for them to share experiences and best practices on how to ensure effective implementation of UBE programmes in the country.
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