UBE: Analysis of the UBE Act and the Way Forward

UBE IMPLEMENTATION: LESSONS LEARNT FROM MDG AND EFA GOALS - 2 Good policies and good governance have positive impact on education outcome e.g. Akwa Ibom State – great improvement in access, equity, quality, etc in the last 10 years Special intervention programmes channelling resources to address access, equity, gender and quality issues e.g. Almajiri programmes Boy-child vocational schools Special Education Programmes Reform in curricula Federal Teachers Scheme (FTS) Teacher Development programme Infrastructural development Instructional materials provision Gender Education Projects Robust Partnership with some IDPs and Donors (DFID, ESSPIN ,JICA, KOICA, USAID, Jolly Phonics, UNICEF, etc) Without an enabling legal provision, implementation of the SDGs is likely to be haphazard. There were gaps in the implementation of the UBE which must be plugged in the SDGs

EDUCATION IN OTHER SDGS SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages `Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls Target 5.6: By 2030, Number of countries with laws and regulations that guarantee women aged 15 – 49 years access to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education. SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all Target 8.6: By 2020 substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training. SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Target 12.8: By 2020 ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature. SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning. All these are lofty targets which cannot be realised without appropriate basic education.

SCOPE OF SDG 4 SDG 4 extends the beyond the basic education level by emphasising the following: Lifelong learning opportunities for all: pre-primary, primary, secondary, youths and adults. Renewed focus on equity, inclusion and gender equality: elimination of gender disparities and equitable access to education and vocational training. Renewed focus on effective learning or quality: effective learning, acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills and competencies. Renewed focus on relevance of learning: vocational and technical skills for decent work, peace, cooperation and global citizenship. Required to equip the citizenry with the foundational life skills and learning-to-learn skills needed for social-economic and civic participation in national affairs Only through quality basic education that all other SDGs and targets can be achieved