Basic schools report: Ekiti leads states with highest qualified teachers

The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid  Bobboyi, has formally launched and presented the National Personnel Audit (2018) report Monday in Abuja, which was attended by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, chairmen of education committees in the National Assembly and other stakeholders.

During the general overview by the technical committee deputy chairman, Professor Charles Onocha, Ekiti state toped the five states with highest number of qualified teachers, followed by Benue, Oyo, Edo and Osun states.

In the area of access to basic education in the six geographical zones, the North-East has the lowest access to basic education and South-East has the highest access. Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto Rivers, Kogi and Borno have the lowest access to basic education according to states.

On zonal basis, the chances that a child enrol in public or private Early Childhood Care and Development Education (ECCDE) was highest in the South-East zone with a net intake rate of 48.6 and lowest in the North-East zone with a net intake rate of 13.1.

The report says the opportunities to enrol in ECCDE centres whether public or private are higher in the Southern zones than in the Northern zones.

Furthermore, on area of gender enrolment on ECCDE, the North-West has the highest enrolment of both boys and girls while the enrolment by gender in the South-South and South-West zones have higher girls than girls.  However, the North-East has the highest male enrolment.

On the number of drop-outs in public schools, the report reveals that more girls drop out of public schools than boys and more boys drop out of private schools than girls.

The Executive Secretary in his speech said the formal launching of the nationwide personnel audit (2018) report was an honour and humility for him and UBEC because the audit was a great strategic assignment which accomplishment was made possible by God and stakeholders who had worked tirelessly towards its success.

He thanked President Muhamadu Buhari for his support to basic education in the country.

“We really appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for prioritising basic education and education generally.

“We also appreciate FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, who is as a pillar of education,” Bobboyi said.

Dr Bobboyi said for the report to come to fruition, the team had traversed the six geographical areas to understudy their basic schools and appreciate their challenges and prospects.

“We want all children in Nigeria to go to school and receive basic education. So, we thank all stakeholders who made it possible to write this compressive audit report which will serve as data base for development planning and research.

 “This is the first time personnel audit of basic schools covered both public and private education sector.

“Despite initial suspicion by private sector, private schools later embraced the programme.”

Bobboyi said the the tenure of Honourable Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu had taken basic education in the country to greater heights.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu,  in his speech described  the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen as a matron of out-of-school children and female children inn Nigeria.

“I didn’t know that the National Personnel Audit of basic schools Dr Bobboyi asked to undertake was going to  be as comprehensive as what he has presented today.

“Before now, we used to run to UNICEF for information on our schools but today they will come to our table for similar information,” Adamu said.

The minister said the Federal Ministry of Education will study the report and come out with comprehensive policies on basic education in the country. .

The 2018 National Personnel Audit (NPA) was implemented by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Education and its relevant parastatals, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), National Population Commission (NPC),  International Development Partners  (IDPs), National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) State Ministries of Education. Others are State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS),

Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) and other data generating agencies.

The project, according to the report, was funded by Federal Government in line with UBEC Act, 2004.

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