The Senate has passed for second reading , a bill seeking for amendment of the twenty year old Compulsory, Free, Universal Basic Education Act, 2004.
Amendment on the Act being sought by the Senate is against the background that some of its provisions, are at the moment, archaic.
In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill titled, “Compulsory, Free, Universal Basic Education Act, 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the sponsor, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman (PDP, Kaduna Central ),said, “The UBE got a legal backing in 2004, with the Compulsory, Free, Universal Basic Education and Other Related Matters Act, 2004.
The Act according to him, established the Universal Basic Education Commission as the Federal Government Intervention Agency through which Federal Government contribution to basic education implementation is channelled to the States and FCT, and required every State House of Assembly (National Assembly in the case of FCT) to enact laws establishing their State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs), to ensure amongst others that: school age children have access to complete basic education: possessing literacy, numeracy and basic life skills to contribute to national development.
He lamented that inadequate and slow access to funding such as Non allocation of additional funds for basic education by most states but reliance only on the intervention by the federal government without matching it with financial support ,grossly eroded the standards in public schools.
“The Bill seeks to amend the following Sections of the Act: Amendment of Section 2(1)-(4) of the Principal Act to include the early childhood care development and education to the right of a child to Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education; increase the scope of stakeholders for compliance and fine for non-compliance. b. Amendment of Section 3 of the Principal Act for free services in the public Early Childhood Care Development and Education, increase in the fine for non-compliance, and inclusion of the Local Government Education Authority as an enforcement authority.
“Amendment of Section 7(2) of the Principal Act to substitute the membership of the Commission to be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of Education, for clarity.
“Amendment of Section 9(b) of the Principal Act to strengthen the functions of the Commission for swift implementation of its mandates and to ensure that the grants to states, local governments and other relevant agencies implementing the UBE adhere strictly to the approved formula as provided in the Act;
“Amendment of Section 11 of the Principal Act to increase the funding of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education in Nigeria from 2% to 5% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund; stipulate the formula for the application of the fund; provide for forfeiture of the grants by States for failure to access the grants and how to utilize the forfeited grants,” he said.
The Senate accordingly, referred the bill to its Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, for further legislative actions and report at plenary in four weeks.
