The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has trained 137 Education Secretaries of Local Government Universal Basic Education Authorities in the South-west, noting that the strength and development of the country’s educational system, rests on the quality of primary education.
Speaking during the training session, the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi said roles of the secretaries in basic education implementation are too crucial to be taken for grants.
The Commission trained education secretaries within the South-west region, on the 2023/2024 Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme in Ibadan between November 18-22, 2024.
Represented by UBEC’s zonal assistant director, Mr. Olusegun Akere, he said the role of education secretaries in basic education implementation is too crucial to be taken for granted, hence the need for them to pay adequate attention to training.
Bobboyi assured them of the commission’s continued support in improving their knowledge and skills in educational management.
He noted that they are the administrative and professional Heads of the Local Government Education Authorities and are primarily expected to ensure that the primary schools in their domains are run efficiently.
His words, “They are to ensure that whatever is required for schools under them to perform effectively are provided. With these responsibilities on their shoulders, they deserve to get the professional support they need from the State Universal Basic Education Boards and the Universal Basic Education Commission, among others.”
“Training them as regularly as possible assures that basic education delivery will perform above average in terms of learner performance. Apart from the supervisory and other administrative functions they perform, they also provide professional leadership to Headteachers and teachers, as support officers, mentors, and coaches,” he said.
The Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran said in a goodwill message that the training is aimed at enhancing the capacities of education secretaries as education managers at the grassroots, in line with the UBE operational guideline towards effective implementation of the 2023/2024 Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme.
He assured Education Secretaries in the state of the continued support of the board, especially in training that will improve their knowledge and skills in educational management.
Adeniran stressed that Education Secretaries are the closest to the schools, who are the end receivers of the services of the Commission and the Board.
“The role of Education Secretaries in ensuring effective implementation of the UBE programme can not be underestimated,” he said.
The Director, Teacher Development, UBEC, Mr. Aleshin Mayowa noted that the training underscores the importance the Commission places on the relevance of the Education Secretaries in the implementation of the UBE programme.