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NASARAWA STATE LAUNCHES THE UNIVERSAL
BASIC EDUCATION (UBE) SCHEME
 The First Executive Governor of Nasarawa
State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu has urged parents to compulsorily
send their children to school or face the wrath of the
government. He made this statement while launching the Universal
Basic Education (UBE) scheme at the Ibrahim Abacha Youth Center, Lafia, recently. According to him, education is the bedrock of
every foundation, therefore it was important to make it free from
the payment of tuition fees. He added that those concerned were
pupils from Primary school stage up to Junior Secondary School 3.
Alh. Abdullai Adamu stressed the need for citizens of the State to remain equal
planners to enable them to be equal participants as well as
beneficiaries of the new education programme aimed at
reducing the illiteracy level in the country which
he put at about 56 percent of the population. This
figure, according to the Governor, is alarming. The Governor further explained that the
former Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme failed due to a
lack of commitment on the part of establishments and individuals
saddled with the responsibility of administering it. "While
the citizens wrongly perceived their role as passive, government
on the other hand failed to sufficiently consciensitize the
population to get them actively involved". He also blamed
the much laid down emphasis on the mass education without
corresponding attention to quality and utilitarian needs.
To enable the programme succeed, the
Executive Governor directed all the 13 Local Governments Chairmen
of the State to launch the UBE Programmes in their various Local
Government Areas. This he added will encourage parents not to
withdraw their children from school and government on its part
will ensure that 100 percent of the pupils were enrolled into the
programme for the betterment of the country.
He also stated that One Million exercise
books and some science equipment have already been procured by
the state government and will be distributed to various schools
in the state by the Ministry of Education soon.
Earlier in his welcome address, the
Commissioner of Education, Dr. Emmanuel Okpede disclosed that
"education remains the only legacy one can give to a
child". For that reason, he called on prominent citizens of
the state to assist through their connections to get aid to stop
the problems faced by the schools, such as lack of benches,
desks, classrooms and lots more.
Speaking on the problems faced by the
teachers in the state, the Commissioner, informed them that many
inducements have been put in place to improve their services,
such as duty post and hazard allowances.
In fulfillment of government’s
commitment to education, a consultative committee on education
has been constituted and inaugurated.
Transmitted 09 November 1999
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