Universal Basic Education Commission has said it disbursed a total of N57,165,751,416.12 to states for the professional development of teachers in the last 13 years.
Gatekeepers News reports that UBEC Executive Secretary, Hamid Bobboyi, disclosed this during the National Conference on Teacher Professional Development taking place at the Federal Capital Territory on Monday.
The theme of the conference is: ‘Transforming teacher professional development in Nigeria for improved learning outcomes in basic education.’
Bobboyi, while expressing concern over the poor number of teachers that had undergone training in recent years, said, “The UBEC 2022 National Personnel Audit reveals that 67.5 per cent of teachers in public schools and 85.3 per cent in private schools have not attended any in-service training in five years (2018-2022). This prevailing situation has implications for quality education delivery.
“The Federal Government, through UBEC, has contributed a total of N57,165,751,416.12 as assistance to the states for teacher professional development between 2009 and 2022.
“This is grossly inadequate to cover the training needs of the teachers. The states that are being assisted have come to depend largely on the Federal Government fund for their TPD, with little or no contribution. This is a major challenge in assuring quality learning outcomes at the basic education level.”
Bobboyi further lamented the poor learner/pupil ratio in Nigerian schools, noting such negative development had resulted in poor learning outcomes.
A Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew Adejo, who declared the two-day conference open noted that Federal Government is ready to implement programmes aimed at boosting learning outcomes in the school.
Adejo said the conference was in line with the vision of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to improve the education fortunes of Nigeria, adding that it would get the full attention of the incoming Minister of Education.
