PERCEIVED MEASURES FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

As a way of addressing the issue of out-of-school children in Nigeria, the Universal Basic Education programme was launched with a view to provide free and compulsory education for all children. Based on the forgoing premise, this study examines perceived measures for effective implementation of UBE programme in primary and junior secondary schools in Delta State, Nigeria. Three key objectives were formulated to guide the study. quantitative research design approach were employed. Five headmasters and ten principals were selected from three senatorial districts in Delta State using stratified, purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Instrument titled “Interview Protocol on Perceived Measures for Effective Implementation of UBE programme (IPPMEI) was used to gather relevant information. Also, secondary data was obtained from the Federal Ministry of Education’s education indicators. Findings from qualitative approach indicate that the objective of free and compulsory education for children in primary and junior secondary schools is yet to be fully achieved, and that there are many factors associated with the implementation of UBE programme. Those factors include poor funding, inadequate infrastructure, poor maintenance culture, lack of adequate data and poor teachers’ remuneration. In support, additional findings from quantitative approach revealed that there is an overpopulation of pupils in the classroom. Specifically, pupil-class room ratio in public primary schools is 57 while pupil-classroom ratio in junior secondary schools is 52. There is a decline in enrolment level because pupil enrolment level in public primary school is 234,6112 while student enrolment level in public junior secondary schools is 924,662. The completion rate is also a serious issue. The completion rate in public primary school is 43.13 for male and 39.48 for female, while the completion rate in junior secondary school is 42.74 for male and 35.83 for female. Furthermore, there are inadequate teachers in both primary and junior secondary schools. For instance, the total number of qualified primary school teachers is 7,930 while number for junior secondary schools is 5,283. The number of unqualified teachers in primary schools is 1,377 while 6,059 are unqualified in junior secondary schools. Measures suggested for effective implementation of UBE programme includes adequate data gathering; adequate funding; adequate infrastructure; adequate availability of teaching and learning materials; recruitment of qualified teachers; and teachers’ welfare.