UBEC Commits Over N10bn Annually To Teacher Professional Devt — Bobboyi
Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, has appealed to stakeholders to join hands with the federal government in ensuring that the quality of teaching and learning at the basic level of education in Nigeria is strengthened for the graduates of the system to be globally competitive.
Bobboyi, who spoke in Abuja ,said even though the year 2020 was very challenging as a result of COVID-19 pandemic that led to lockdown of the country including closure of schools for the most part, the Commission worked hard in many areas including support for provision of e-learning and other response to the pandemic.
He said the Commission in realisation of the importance of teacher in the provision of quality education, designated 10 per cent of the entire amount that is received from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for Teacher Professional Development through the States Universal Basic Education Boards.
“We remain the biggest teacher development agency in the country; not even the National Teachers’ Institute or any other agency.
“UBEC’s ten per cent of the entire amount that is received from the Consolidated Revenue Fund is designated for Teacher Professional Development through the States Universal Basic Education Boards. ”That is something that is very important for us to realise that we pump in a minimum of N10 billion every year for Teacher Professional Development in this country,” he said.
He noted that the Commission feels this has to be done because it is essential for the teachers to be trained professionally, added that the quality of teaching given in the class is dependent on the quality of the teachers that are available.
He said, however, that one of the major challenges is getting qualified teachers to teach the children in the country, which he noted the Federal Ministry of Education was trying to address, saying for now every parent wants his or her child to study Medicine, Law, Economics, Engineering and host of others.
