The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is set to roll out an open schooling initiative to provide an accelerated learning experience for children unable to benefit from traditional arrangements.

Hamid Bobboyi, the UBEC executive secretary, spoke in Abuja on Tuesday during a meeting with civil society organisations (CSOs) on the effective school programme (ESP).

Represented by Isiaka Kolawole, the UBEC’s deputy executive secretary (service), Bobboyi said the initiative aims to offer extensive access to basic education for Nigerian children.

The ESP is a UBEC initiative launched on July 1 to “progressively improve the resources and routines of teaching and learning”.

Its implementation was for 111 schools across the federation previously designated as UBEC e-learning centres.

Under the programme, the schools are to get instructional materials, tablets, satellite-based learning equipment, and teacher training in information and communication technology (ICT) pedagogy as part of efforts to address the twin challenges of the learning crisis and out-of-school children.

Bobboyi said the open school initiative is additionally needed to offer “accelerated education intervention”.

“Though much has been invested and great efforts have been made by the government, corporate and private institutions, and privileged individuals, and despite the various interventions by UBEC, much more still needs to be done towards improving basic education in the country,” he said.

“Key issues include the large number of out-of-school children, insufficient teaching and learning infrastructure, an outdated UBE enabling act, gaps in teacher quality and availability, low partnerships for UBE delivery, insecurity, and a lack of awareness about the importance of education in rural and underserved communities.”

Speaking also, Bala Zakari, UBEC’s deputy executive secretary (technical), highlighted the shortage of qualified teachers as a challenge.

“There is an acute shortage of qualified teachers in public primary schools. Of the 694,078 teachers required at this level, 499,202 are available, leaving a gap of 194,876. ECCDE and junior secondary schools appear to have more teachers than required,” he said.

Zakari called for a review of the 2004 UBE Act to address these issues and urged states to allocate more resources to education.

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