The Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is making important efforts to revitalize early childhood education in public primary schools throughout the state. Dr. Grace Adagba, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, has urged education secretaries and Early Childhood Care Development Education (ECCDE) desk officers from the 23 Local Government Education Authorities to take active steps in rejuvenating early childhood education programs.
During a recent board meeting, Dr. Adagba emphasized the crucial role of ECCDE in providing a strong foundation for future learning. She highlighted the need for improved educational opportunities for young children in Benue State and urged the education secretaries to promote the board’s innovative initiatives to establish ECCDE centers in all public schools.
Dr. Adagba also mentioned a directive from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) requiring the establishment of ECCDE centers in all public schools. She instructed headteachers to begin admitting children aged two to five into ECCDE classes starting from the next academic session. To ensure these directives are effectively implemented, she urged the education secretaries to hold emergency meetings with headteachers to emphasize the importance of ECCDE. Additionally, she directed teachers to work during holidays to prepare for enrollment, admissions, and lesson planning before the new academic session begins.
Dr. Adagba also encouraged the education secretaries to launch campaigns to promote public schools, showcasing the high standards and quality of education provided in basic education schools. She suggested organizing programs like quizzes and debates to highlight excellence and recommended maintaining clean school environments to attract more learners and parents. Furthermore, she announced that SUBEB would conduct enrollment drive campaigns and sensitization programs in the state’s three geopolitical zones and encouraged the education secretaries to leverage this initiative to enhance ECCDE implementation in their areas.
In response to Dr. Adagba’s efforts, Mrs. Helen Ameh, the education secretary for Agatu, and Mr. Brown Ochai, the ECCDE Desk Officer for Ado LGEA, expressed their gratitude and pledged their commitment to improving basic education in the state.
