By Dipo Olowookere
The glory days of quality basic education in the South West region of Nigeria is about to return following the emergence of the Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Nureni Adeniran, as the Chairman of the South-West State Universal Basic Education Board.
Back in the days, the public primary and secondary schools in the part of the world were among the best but along the line, things went south and the region has struggled to revive the standards to no avail.
But there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel with Mr Adeniran in charge. This is because, in Oyo State, his exploits have travelled far, the reason his counterparts in the South West reposed their confidence in him to take charge with the Ekiti SUBEB chairman, Prof. Femi Akinwunmi, as the Secretary.
At a forum comprising all chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards in the six South-western states of the country in Ibadan, Oyo State, it was unanimously resolved that the state universal basic education boards will develop basic education for the benefit of pupils in each state.
Prof Akinwunmi pledged that the body will proffer a way forward by providing alternative to learning outcomes in the region.
However, the forum appealed to UBEC to ensure that all affiliated LGUBEAs and local education suppliers are given their due recognitions and privileges regarding the supply of education materials in their respective states.
“We call on UBEC to domicile programmes, like that of jolly-phonix in each state, such that local contractors would be engaged in the provision of projects, such as supply of books,” the group said.
It further called for development of LGUBEAs in each state, promising to engage the federal representatives for even distribution of infrastructural facilities.
Modupe Gbadeyanka