Promise Sage Joseph, Ibiye Jamabo, Molly, Elile Ajie-Nelson
When the goal of UBE, “Education for All” (EFA) which is in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was envisaged from the conception of the scheme, little did anyone know that fourteen years after, the policy would not make a significant achievement in competing with systems in other developed nations of the world. Recent reports show that it would take Nigeria more than 70 years before all children will have access to primary education. This paper is a call on needed paradigm shift in UBE for global competitiveness. The paper x-rays the matters arising in the scheme to include the quota policy, placing of ceiling on the number of pupils to be registered in a state among others. The paper also highlighted some envisaged problems of the implementation of the programme to include policy standard and objectives, policy resources, inter-governmental communication and enforcement, the characteristics of implementing agencies and the economic, social and political conditions and as well the disposition of policy implementers. The paper called for paradigm shift in the area of human, financial, infrastructural resources as well as quality assurance and social mobilization. Finally, some important recommendations were proffered, among others was that there should be a nationwide UBE awareness and enrollment campaign similar to that of the national immunization programme, general election dates, national census, etc. and in order to access the UBE intervention fund made available yearly, states should endeavor to promptly fulfill their counterpart obligations. States indicted over failure to forward their counterpart funds should be severely sanctioned to act as deterrent to other states.
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