The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboye has stressed the determination of the Commission towards providing necessary interventions in Benue and other states in various aspects to ensure competency and sustainable standards in the education sub -sector.
He made the disclosure in Makurdi during the opening ceremony of a five-day capacity building workshop on training of Education Quality Assurance Evaluators On Methodology of Monitoring and Evaluation of Teaching and Learning in Public Primary Schools in Benue State organized by UBEC in conjunction with the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
Represented by the Commission’s Director of Quality Assurance, Mallam Mansir Idris, the Executive Secretary said, the professional development of education managers must be accompanied by organizational development and improvement in schools as it will sharpen their skills and promote competency.
He commended the Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB, Comrade Joseph Utse, Management Staff and all Quality Assurance Officers for their efforts towards ensuring effectiveness and efficiency are achieved in Basic Education Schools in the state.
In an address, the SUBEB Chairman, Comrade Joseph Utse represented by Permanent Member 1, Hon. Mike Kusah disclosed that the Board has earmarked regular school monitoring as a major policy thrust and has procured 1Hiux van and 24 motorcycles for the Quality Assurance department to facilitate school monitoring activities.
According to him, staff of the Department have been trained on e-quality Assurance and tablets also procured to enable them disseminate on-the-spot school monitoring reports to UBEC and other stakeholders, adding that 14 Laptops and 1 Printer were also procured to ease report submission.
He explained that the second phase of training tagged “Effective School Evaluation: Panacea for improving Learning outcomes and strengthening of the School System”, offered unique opportunity for 100 Quality Assurance Evaluators to be introduced into the new methodology of Monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning in Public schools in the state.
State UBEC Coordinator, Mrs Augustina Sanchi in a goodwill message assured that the commission would continue to review policies, structures and programmes to build the capacity of quality Assurance Officers for efficient and effective evaluation of schools in order to enhance learning outcomes.
She urged participants to take the training seriously in order to tap from the wealth of experience of the resource persons.
Earlier, the Director Of Quality Assurance, Mallam Bala Yahaya said the department was ready to intensify its quality assurance activities with a view to ensuring effective schools and better learning; expressing confident that at the end of the 5-day training, participants would develop meaningful and concrete evaluation methods that would improve the standard of Basic Education in the state.
He stressed the need to regularly train and retrain Quality Assurance Officers in all areas of their operations if good results must be achieved, adding that SUBEB will not rest on its oars until quality is attained in the system.
He noted that the reintroduction of continuous Quality Assurance activities in schools would bring about improvement in learners’ achievements and effective school management system involving the school, SBMC’s and host communities.
In a vote of thanks, SUBEB Permanent Member 3, Mr James Ahua appreciated UBEC and Facilitators for their commitment to Quality Assurance in Benue State.
Responding on behalf of participants, Mrs Ann Iorember said the programme would upgrade their knowledge and skills and they would not take it for granted.