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ENHANSE trains journalists on Universal Basic Education

Due to the need to inform the public and clear misconceptions about the Universal Basic Education (BE) policy, the ENHANSE Project basic education and media units anchored by AED (Academy for Educational Development) and Internews Nigeria, jointly organized a training workshop for print journalists covering basic education issues.

The workshop was attended by representatives of seven media organizations namely: Thisday, Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo, The Punch, Daily Champion, The Sun, Vanguard and Daily Independent. It was held at the offices of Internews Network Nigeria in Abuja from August 28 to September 2, 2006.

The week-long training workshop featured lectures from experts in journalism educational issues. Participants were trained on interviewing techniques, civil journalism, photo journalism, feature writing, story outlines, computer assisted journalism, story development and editing, among others.

A number of lectures were presented to educate participants on the UBE program in Nigeria. Professor Gidado Tahiv, the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education (UBE) Commission and some members of his staff spoke on the UBE, Nigeria’s New Education policy; and The UBE Act, and Nigeria’s Teacher Education Program, Background and Development.

At the end of the six-day workshop, participants well able to identify some factors that limit the impact of the UBE in the country. They were: insufficient enlightenment about the UBE’s importance for the National Policy on Education; poor implementation of the UBE by stakeholders – school proprietors’, teachers, parents, UBE Commission and pupils; and lack of collaboration with key stakeholders by the UBE Commission.

Participants also noted with concern the shortage of teachers to run the UBE and the threat it could pose to its successful implementation; the dearth of books and equipment for teaching Introductory Technology courses; the lack of laboratory equipment for teaching vocational skills; the absence of libraries and sports facilities; and delay in the release of new curriculum to schools.

Considering the level of poverty in the country, the participants lauded the school feeding programme of government stressing its importance to UBE. They also noted that National Certificate in Education (NCE) as minimum qualification for teaching in primary school was yet to be fully implemented, particularly in northern Nigeria, as Grade II Teacher’s Certificate holders were still teaching.
Based on these observations, the participants recommended that both Federal and State Governments and their agencies – Universal Basic Education Commission and State Universal Basic Education Boards – should engage in a more aggressive campaign on the UBE Programme.

They called on community leaders and media organizations to also join in the campaign, while school proprietors, teachers, parents and other stakeholders should join forces for effective co-ordination.
The participants further recommended that the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NCRDC) should expedite action on the new UBE training programmes that are designed to help Grade II Teachers Certificate holders meet up with the minimum NCE requirement.

The closing ceremony featured award of certificates to the participants who expressed their appreciation to the organizers of the workshop.