The Federal Government of Nigeria has commenced the implementation of the Effective Schools Programme (ESP) to boost smart education in Nigeria.
Dr Hamid Bobboyi the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has accordingly charged chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB) on the implementation of the programme aimed at improving teaching and learning conditions as well as outcomes in schools.
The Effective School Programme was conceptualized by UBEC to test the efficacy of the minimum standards in Universal Basic Education (UBE) delivery and provide lessons for progressively scaling up these standards in all schools in Nigeria over the next six (6) years.
It is expected that over the life of the programme, the participating schools will progressively improve the quality of their UBE service delivery and move up the quality ladder to become not just effective schools but outstanding schools in terms of quality of educational outputs.
Bobboyi speaking on Monday at a meeting of UBEC with chairmen of SUBEBs from the 36 states of the federation and FCT, on the Effective Schools Programme, said the meeting marked the take-off of the Effective Schools Programme implementation.
He said the distribution of instructional materials, installation of a satellite-based education system, and training of headteachers and teachers in effective schools would follow immediately.
He added that as the programme progresses, additional improvements would be made in the schools with the goal of meeting the minimum standards in basic education.
Bobboyi said: “For quite some time in our schools in Nigeria, we have been having problems with standards, schools that can deliver at all levels in terms of quality of teachers, teaching and learning, basic facilities, and the performance of the children, how well are they doing.
“So, two years ago, we started dialogue with the SUBBEBs chairmen on how to re-engineer the school system and we started with smart schools in each state capital and now adding two each to expand it to one smart school per each senatorial district. The schools are equipped with modern technology, digital pedagogy and so on.
“Then what do we do with the other schools that are already functioning? The purpose here is to make sure that those schools which are functioning are also upgraded systematically over a period of time to be able now to function as schools that are effective and can deliver at all levels of teaching and learning.
“That was what brought the idea of the Effective School Programme but the next stage that we have was the merger of e-learning centres with the Effective Schools Programme so that they become one entity. Every School that is effective must have a digital component that will ensure that it can deliver effective teaching and learning,” he said.
He said that the implementation of the ESP would lead to investment in the improvement of learning conditions and processes to produce basic education graduates with effective life skills.
He said equipping students with skills would enable them to effectively participate and compete favourably in the 21st-century knowledge economy.
“As a commission, we have considered the prime importance of investing in improving key aspects of UBE delivery with a view to having better outcomes.
“This resolve is what prompted our drive towards reinventing the mechanisms for improved inputs and processes in the implementation of UBE activities, as this would be the safe guarantee of improved outcomes.
“ESP seeks to ensure collective actions at national and state levels in ensuring that prescribed minimum standards in basic education service delivery are attained and further scaled up towards ensuring the effectiveness of teaching and learning with commensurate learning outcomes,” he said.
According to him, under the ESP, the commission desires to support SUBEBs towards implementing the minimum standards in all the schools previously designated as UBEC e-learning centres.
“It is envisaged that through this effort, we will create Centres of Excellence as we improve the inputs and processes deployed for teaching and learning in the schools,” he said.
In his remarks, the Dean of Chairmen, SUBEB, Prof. Shehu Adaramaja, said the transformation of the e-learning programme into the Effective Schools Programme would help improve the education outcomes of Nigerian students.
He said Nigeria is second in terms of literacy level in Africa noting that the full implementation of the smart education would rank Nigeria as first in Africa.
By Clement Idoko
