Lets support Farmer Bago New Niger Agenda
Education is a major factor in human development. Countries that Invest heavily in education are always at the top bracket of the human development index.
The cross- cutting benefits of Education produces bountiful harvest that re-generate the Societys’ capacities to handle the challenges of modern living.
However, the ailing State of Education in Nigeria has been the major concern to Stakeholders for decades.
Despite being the most populous country in Africa and having the largest economy, poor Infrastructure and lack of proper investment in teaching has been the major problem confronting the development of Education sector in Nigeria.
NSUBEB CHAIRMAN
It is against this background that Mohammed Baba Ibrahim, the newly appointed Chairman of Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), on his appointment came out in bold terms to embark upon a comprehensive reform in the Management of Basic Education Sector in the State.
Mohammed Baba Ibrahim had observed that, Niger State have over 3000 basic education Schools and 23,000 teachers as well as over 1000,000 enrollment from Nursery, Primary and Junior Secondary Schools.
Unfortunately, of the 3000 schools almost all or even all are in dare need of one forms of repair or the other.
“And for us to give basic education that would address the challenges of today, there is the need for us to meet up with the required global Standard which revolves around Infrastructural and human capacity development.” he stressed.
“The structure we have today in our education system, are good for 70’s and 80’s.
And if you want Children to come to school, we must be ready to give them something that is more attractive than what we had”
In view of this, there is the need for us to upscale the Infrastructure in our education system to global standard in order to address the challenges of today.the Chairman asserts.
The global Standard of Education system at least at National and Inter- Continental level is a complete digitalize Education system where teaching and learning take place online.
For Niger State to achieve this, we need 21st century education structures.
” Although, it is expensive to achieved the said standard, but it is unavoidable if we need qualitative and quantitative Education.
For instance, to establish a smart School which intake must not be more than 1000 people., one needs #1 billion naira, the Chairman posits.
” We are in the era where people are living in Nigeria and worked in Abroad or living in Abroad and worked in Niger”. All this height of Development and Prosperity can only be achieved through the establishment of smart Schools.
The Chairman of NSUBEB, Mohammed Baba Ibrahim however promised that the Board will build smart schools across the State in the next 3 years in order to enable students in Niger State to compete with their counterparts across the World.
The process is ongoing and we will have smart Schools in Niger State” NSUBEB Chairman declared.
Although the establishment of smart School is like a drop in the ocean of the Infrastructure required to address the challenges of our education system in Niger State, the NSUBEB under the Leadership of Mohammed Baba Ibrahim have promised to building more Schools which are not completely digitalize and lesser expensive in order to compliment the smart Schools.
He said the vision of the Board was not only to make Education compulsory but accessible and Inclusive for everybody in Niger State.
The NSUBEB Chief however pointed out to the need to reduce the population of Students in a Class to aleast 40 students in order to pave way for effective teaching and learning adding that the board can achieved this through the remodeling of existing Schools and building of more schools to compliment the existing ones.
The Chairman of NSUBEB also disclosed that the Board is working towards establishing Open School system which will give learner a second chance to have basic education just like Open University System.
” We are thinking of having at least a centre across all the wards in Niger State.” he declared.
Nevertheless, no matter how good your policies are or the world class Infrastructure you build across the Schools if you don’t have teachers, effective teaching and learning would only marred.
Mohammed Baba Ibrahim is of the opinion that teachers be accrued better packages for service to encourage them to do more.
He then assured teachers in the basic education sector in Niger State of better packages that would change their life, calling on them to always put in their best.
” He believes that in the next three years to come, the socio Economic Stories of teachers in the basic education sector in Niger State will change for better.
He however emphasized the need for training and re-traning of teachers in order bring them to align them with current practices of the profession.
In this regard, the Chairman disclosed that Niger State Governor, Farmer Mohammed Umar Bago has approved the adoption of Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Teachers Development Professional Pal and Professionals Boards.
All this are aimed at enhancing teachers Professionalism in the State.
The NSUBEB boss however classified teachers into four categories (1) People Teachers (2) Professional Teachers (3) Mentor Teachers (4) Distinguished Teachers.
According to him, If you are a Peoples teacher there are skills and knowledge you are supposed to have.
And during the training programme with the professional bodies , if for example you are in Grade level 7 to Grade level 9 as People’s teacher and you don’t have the required skills and knowledge during the development programme you are not going to cross to another level. This is how it will cut across the remaining categories.
The Chairman also disclosed that there would be general recruitment and transfer of teachers after gap analysis to rationalize the system.
The development of Mariga Local Government Area remains my priority
