CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
The Universal Basic Education (UBE) is
a broad concept and more ambitious programme than that of Universal Primary
Education (UPE) programme. The Universal Basic Education is intend to inculcate
more forcefully on the life of Nigerians than the Universal Primary Education.
Although the Universal Basic Education
is a programme.it also an educational programme for the acquisition of
functional literacy and skills, the type of education that will inculcate an
understanding of the need for unity such that is required in Nigeria (Dike
2000).
President OlusegunObasanjo formally
launched the Universal Basic Education in Nigeria on 30th September 1999. The
programme is intended to be universal, free and compulsory. since the
introduction of western education in 1842 (Eya 2000) regions state, and federal
government in Nigeria have shown a keen interest in education.
The goal of the programme is to
provide functional universal and quality education for all Nigerians
irrespective of age, sex, race, region, occupation or location.The federal
Government of Nigeria sees primary education as the education given in an
institution for children age 6 – 11 plus. It further goes on to say that since
the rest of the education system is built upon it. The primary level is the key
to the success or failure of the whole system of Education. The duration shall
be six years (FRN 2004).
After the launching of Universal Basic
Education un 1999 by then President Olusegun Obasanjo it objectives includes:
i. Facilitation of growth and development
ii. Enhancement of quality of education for
all citizens
iii. Addressing the implementation of
educational policies designed to achieve the notable objectives in the national
policy on education (Ekere Felix 2000).
It is important to note that
some of the problems that led to the failure of universal education to achieve
its set objectives which was launched in 1976 still manifest in the
implementation of universal basic education programme. Such problems which
largely bother on finance, infrastructures such as laboratories, classrooms,
furniture and fittings and still inadequate in Nigeria Basic school (I. A.
Ajayi 2007).
However, the recent relaunching of a
similar programme – the Universal Basic Education Scheme would suggest that after
failure of the earlier programme – Universal Primary Education Scheme and after
a careful analysis of the factors that brought about the failure of the earlier
scheme, a more careful planning would have taken place. (Ayeni 2000).
Primary Education is the first formal
Education which the individual is expose to. It is believed to be the
foundation of the other type of Education which the individual could be exposed
to.
The Universal Basic Education has begun
implementation has been carried out with scholar looking into each of the
stage, this study therefore interested in discovering the implementation
process in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Over the years, the
implementation of basic education programme in Nigeria has been facing lots of
constraints, and it seems like the problem of the Nigeria educational programme
does not always lie with adequate knowledge and policies, but the effective
implementation of the programme. The Universal Primary Education (UPE)
programme which is one of the basic education programmes introduced in the
country in the past seems to have failed due to several factors, and such
factors were attributed to non-availability of fund, lack of trained teachers,
lack of infrastructural facilities, poor supervision of the programme,
inadequate instructional materials, among others. There also seem to be lots of
obstacles affecting the implementation of the current Universal Basic Education
(UBE) programme primary schools in Nigeria, particularly in Nsukka Education
Zone of Enugu State. Most of the UBE primary schools are bedeviled with
overcrowded classrooms, poor funding of the school activities, inadequate
infrastructural facilities, non-availability of functional library, inadequate
instructional materials, poor supervision and monitoring of the school
programme among others. All these are challenges for the effective
implementation of UBE programme in Nigeria.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
i.
What
is Universal Basic Education
ii.
What
is the importance of Universal Basic Education
iii.
How
far has the Universal Basic Education gone about the implementation of its
programme
iv.
What
are the measures needed to be taken by Universal Basic Education to have a
successful implementation
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This study will specifically looked
into
i. The meaning of Universal Basic Education
ii. Importance of Universal Basic Education
iii. Implementation of Universal basic
Education
iv. Measures to effective implementation of
the Universal Basic Education programme.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will identifying this that
will benefits in the implementation of the Universal Basic Education.
Some of them are:
i.
Government: The Universal Basic Education
programme will help Government to develop education. It will help Government
and give them the opportunity to know areas where they must provide assistance.
ii.
Parent: It gives parents opportunity to
send their wards to school, as clearly stated in the National Policy on
Education (2004) that education should be free, universal and compulsory. The
problem of parent not be able to send their children to school all because of
money will not afford their children as the government is ready to provide
uniforms, books and all the writing materials, chairs and tables e.t.c. So
their won’t be any excuse for parent not to send their children to school.
iii.
Teachers: Teachers are nation builder and as
such their training will quip them for laying a solid education foundation
right from primary level (Lassa 1996). Through Universal Basic Education
programme teacher will be able to go for training workshops, seminars e.t.c.
This will also help to familiar with modern day teaching equipment and to have
confidence in themselves anytime they were teaching in class and they will be
able to impact in their pupils knowledge they have acquired.
iv.
Pupils: With the provision of necessary and
adequate learning materials it will make teaching easy for them. It will
develop pupils mentally, morally and academically. It will also develop in them
interest for education. Through the Universal Basic Education programme the
rate of drop out of school going age children will reduce drastically.
v.
Community: It help the community to initiate
and execute specific project and activities within the frame work of the scheme
in their localities. The programme ensures the effective participation of the
community in the scheme. It can also bring to the community infrastructural
development through the Universal Basic Education programme.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study will be carried out in
Abeokuta South Local government Area of Ogun State.
1.7 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The
study was limited by some constrained which include limited time in which the
study was conducted. There was also the problem of finance as well as pressure
of school work which had to be combine to the study. There was also the problem
of uncooperative attitude of some of the respondents.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
i. Ambitious:
Having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed
ii. Acquisition:
The act of gaining possession of something
iii. Literacy:
The ability to read and write
iv. Skills:
The ability to carried out a task
v. Inculcate:
To cause something to be learn by someone by repeating it again and again
vi. Forcefully:
Having a strong and confident quality
vii. Foundation:
A basic idea or belief that something is based on
viii. Teachers:
Someone who teaches as their job, especially in school
ix. Access:
The right to enter place or gaining
something
x. Universal:
Involving every one in the world or in a group
xi. Implementation:
Making something happen
xii. Amplified:
Pronunciation and example sentences
xiii. Delineating:
Describe or portracy (something) precisely
xiv. Consonance:
Agreement or compatibility between opinionsor action
xv. Deduce:
Arrive at a fact or a conclusion by reasoning draw as a logical conclusion
xvi. Impetus: A force that
causes something such as a process or activity to be done or to become more
active