As part of the initiative to reduce the high number of out-of-school children estimated at over 10.5 million in the country, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has taken bold measures to strengthen the School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) in basic education in the country.
The Commission acknowledged the significant role of SBMCs in improving enrollment of pupils and students as well as ensuring effective management of schools within their communities.
Immediate past Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, who spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the closing ceremony of the 2-day capacity building workshop for members of SBMCs from various states of the Federation, said the programme offered the opportunity to lay the foundation for establishing the national platform for SBMC operations in Nigeria.
The UBEC boss whose news of his replacement was announced to him at the event, following the appointment of Aisha Garba, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the new the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education, told the gathering that it was probably his last time he was addressing the participants as the Executive Secretary of UBEC.
He believed that the two-day engagement would ultimately enhance the visibility and impact of SBMCs, thus making government officials, educators, and community members come together for an inclusive approach toward basic education.
“I am gladdened by the development and outcome of this meeting where participants have been trained on the rudiments of SBMC operations and are ready to take this further by selecting officers to spearhead the formation of the national structure for SBMCs.
“To this end, UBEC has worked tirelessly in strengthening school communities in implementing the School Based Management principles and ensuring effective operations of SBMCs at the school level.
“UBEC’s effort in this direction is intended to transform our schools into hubs of community engagement and empowerment,” he stated.
Bobboyi added that through collaborative effort in the 2-day engagement, significant efforts have been made in improving knowledge of the decentralization practices in basic education delivery, the school-based management concept, and also laid a solid foundation for the national structure for SBMCs in Nigeria.
He reaffirmed of the Commission to supporting SBMCs efforts and giving them the necessary backing for success, going further, noting that as stakeholders in building a better future for the children there was the need to re-enforce the commitment to the ideals of the School Based Management System by working relentlessly to ensure that every child in Nigeria gets access to quality education, with strong, effective, and resourceful SBMCs to support them.
Director, Social Mobilisation, UBEC, Dr Ossom Ossom in his remark, noted that SBMCs are critical stakeholders in improving quality and inclusiveness of Universal Basic Education (UBE) delivery.
Ossom expressed his excitement and satisfaction with the vision to establish a national body with the SBMC chairmen across the country.
He noted that over the years, the commission has observed numerous organizations working at the grassroots level, and from this, it has concluded that if SBMCs can function effectively at the grassroots, they could certainly succeed at the national level.
According to him, it is this reasoning that prompted the Commission to give the green light for the establishment of SBMCs at the national level.
“Today, we have successfully elected national officials who are equipped to lead the SBMCs on a national scale.”
