Oyo state government is ready to ensure a hitch-free National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) verification exercise of all Better Education Service for All (BESDA) focused centres to eradicate out-of-school children syndrome in the state.
Chairman of Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, stated this at the flag-off of a 5-day training of NBS enumerators in Ibadan Wednesday.
Dr Adeniran stated that in doing this, SUBEB would collaborate with NBS to ensure a hitch-free exercise in the state.
Her said Oyo SUBEB in partnership with office of the Statistician General of the state, would ensure that the enumerators have unhindered access to the 21 BESDA focus local government areas in the state.
The SUBEB chairman added that it will assist the government in attaining its aim of eradicating out-of-school children menace in adding, “we assure the NBS management that the state government, through the board will accord the verification agents all the necessary support and information they may require.”
Dr Adeniran noted that Oyo state government will ensure pupils in affected BESDA focus-schools stay back, despite the holidays, during the verification exercise, to ease the process.
“BESDA is a programme for result, funded by the World Bank to support increase in access to basic education by raising equitable access for out-of-school children, improve literacy and strengthen accountability for results in basic education in Nigeria. We are determined to make it work in Oyo State”, he said.
Dr Adeniran added that Oyo state is ready for NBS visitation in the selected schools to verify the authenticity of records kept by the implementing schools.
The board will also provide data for the assessment of four Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) on which the state would be rewarded.
“We welcome the NBS team and its Enumerators. This particular exercise, which is the second Phase, would be conducted in the 21 BESDA focus LGAs in our state,” he stated.
South-West zonal controller, NBS, Mr. Bayo Okunuga, while speaking said the trained NBS verification agents, would be deployed across various local governments to collect data.