The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has identified the location-based inability of some learners to access quality education as a major challenge affecting the implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) in Nigeria.
Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, highlighted this issue during the launch of a training program for 1,480 rural teachers aimed at addressing the learning crisis.
According to Dr. Bobboyi, “In the rural and hard-to-reach areas, the provision of quality education is challenging as attracting and retaining qualified teachers is difficult and this causes parents/guardians to be less inclined in enrolling their children in school or be withdrawing them from school since their education needs are not met.
“The general outcry by stakeholders over the dearth of teaching staff in the rural and hard-to-reach schools attests to this fact,” he said.
The training program, which focuses on multigrade and mixed ability teaching approaches, will involve 40 participating teachers from each state. The initiative aims to equip teachers with the skills necessary for effective teaching and managing learners at different levels or grades in the classroom.
Representing the UBEC boss, Prof. Bala Zakari stated that the capacity building program demonstrates the government’s commitment to providing quality basic education to every Nigerian child, regardless of their location and background.
The Director of Teacher Development at UBEC, Mr. Mayowa Aleshin, highlighted the training as a solution to address the challenges hindering effective teaching and learning in rural and hard-to-reach areas. He emphasised the importance of capacity building to combat learning poverty and ensure that every child in school receives quality education.
Mrs. Folake Olatunji-David, the Director of Basic Education at the Ministry of Education, emphasised the need for teachers to be equipped with the tools and techniques necessary to thrive in demanding environments.
She noted that the training was designed to provide teachers with the skills to create engaging and differentiated lessons, foster a collaborative learning environment, and utilize innovative teaching methods and resources to maximize learning outcomes in resource-constrained settings.
