Amendment of UBE Act is National Priority- Prof. Ihonvbere.
Amendment of UBE Act is National Priority- Prof. Ihonvbere.
By Lucky Isibor.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere has reinterated his commitment to championing the amendment of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act 2004 stating that it has become a matter of urgent national priority.
He declared his commitment to free, safe and gender-responsive basic education by signing the Legislative Declaration on COVID-19 and Girls’ Education during an advocacy visit to the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere by a delegation of the #AmendUBEAct Coalition at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
The delegation made of Invictus Africa, Malala Fund, PLAN International Nigeria, Save the Children and YouthHubAfrica, represented the coalition at the legislative parley which is part of the wider Malala Fund COVID-19 campaign strategy, aimed at ensuring more gender-responsive legislation and plan for the recovery phase of the pandemic in Nigeria.
The Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act amendment bill is at the committee stage at the House of Representatives. The bill seeks to extend free and compulsory education from nine to twelve years, ensure an increase in basic education financing and promote gender-responsive learning, among others.
Prof. Ihonvbere noted that the burden of Nigeria’s out-of-school children could hinder counrty’s quest for sustainable human and economic development, coupled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic adding that education has the potency to change children, communities and the country.
"I am committed to Basic Education sector reform and glad to sign this declaration. I am an academician and the Chair of the House Committee on Basic Education. I focus my entire constituency allowance on basic school renovations and furniture because if I do not make an impact on Basic Education, what else can I do?" said Prof. Julius Ihonvbere.
Concerned about the state of basic education in Nigeria, Prof Ihonvbere While promising to build consensus amidst legislators on education financing and the extension of the coverage of the UBE Act (2004) from nine to twelve years, Prof. Ihonvbere pledged his commitment to sponsoring COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 education reforming laws taking into account the needs of girls and supporting their return to school and education emergencies.
In her remarks, Executive Director, Invictus Africa noted that while school enrollment is increasing, retention is decreasing.
“Statistics already show that while we may be making progress with school enrolments, the higher the class, the lower the number of girls. This means, school enrollment is increasing, but school retention is decreasing. Hence, this #AmendUBEAct advocacy and process will help us have holistic and long-term gains in girl-child education while closing the educational inequality gap,”
Also speaking, Malala Fund In-country representative, Crystal Ikanih-Musa said amending the UBE Act 2004 is critical to education's plan for recovery.
“We are facing a new and difficult economic reality. I implore you to remember that amending the Universal Basic Education Act (2004) to cover up to senior secondary school, and ensuring adequate funding — increasing UBE fund from 2% to 3% CRF — is critical to Nigeria’s education plan for Recovery and Resilience to build back better in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,”
While regretting that the process has been slow, Labaran Onisimus, the Education Lead at PLAN International Nigeria assured that with collective committment, the desire will be met.
"The process has been slow, but surely with the commitment of all stakeholders – our collective desire of life long learning for children (especially girls) will soon be achieved."
While assuring that the quality of education will improve with unlimited access to free, safe and uninterrupted education, the Advocacy, Campaign and Policy Manager- LEARN, Save the Children International, Nigeria noted that
“the signing of the legislative declaration by the Chairman House Committee on Basic Education is a big win for the process of reforming Universal Basic Education in Nigeria. We are committed to supporting your drive for improved quality basic education for Nigerian children, especially the girl-child. The more the quality of basic education is improved and children have unlimited access to free, safe and uninterrupted learning opportunities, the better they will live up to their dreams and potentials."
The #AmendUBEAct coalition is a group of development partners, international and local organisations supporting the process to strengthen the legal framework for free, safe and quality basic education in Nigeria.
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