Two prominent Oyo lawmakers from Ogbomoso zone have called for the rehabilitation of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) outpost stations in the thirty three local government areas of Oyo state.
The lawmakers, who are both members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the 10th Assembly, equally urged for the construction of new outpost stations where needed.
The call followed a motion on ‘Need to Rehabilitate SUBEB Outpost Stations in the 33 Local Government Areas of Oyo state and Construction of New Ones’ which was sponsored by Hon. (Mrs) O.M Micheal ( Ogbomoso North) and Co-sponsored by S.A Onaolapo (Ogbomoso South), leader of the House.
During a Thursday plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Muhammed Fadeyi, the lawmakers noted that part of the objectives of the SUBEB included
the provision of free, Universal Basic Education for every Nigerian child of school-going age; reducing drastically the incidence of dropout from the formal school system, ensuring the acquisition of appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, manipulative communicative and life skills, as well as the ethical, moral and civic values needed for laying a solid foundation for life-long learning among others.
Further noted that in order for these purposes to be achieved and basic education reached the doors of everyone, SUBEB decentralized its operations by setting up out stations in every Local Government Areas of the State, adding that the outstations serves as liaison offices through which the objective of SUBEB are easily implemented.
The lawmakers however explained that the Officers stationed in these outstations carryout monitoring of programmes, ensure uniform compliance, conduct evaluations of results and forward report to the State headquarters.
According to the motion, the officers in the 33 local governments who have dedicated their services to ensuring that students in basic schools from primary level to junior secondary school access quality education are without roof, furniture and basic office needs.
The lawmakers posited that the SUBEB outstations in Ogbomoso North and Ogbomoso South Local Government are managing the old Party secretariat in Ogbomoso North Local Government with the Federal Road Safety Corps.
“In a similar situation, the ones in Ibarapa East, Ibadan Southeast and Ido are in deplorable states requiring urgent Government and UBEC attentions. Mr. Speaker, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is an offshoot of UBEC in the State established to address inequality in educational opportunity at the basic level and improving the quality of its provision.
“Observes that the programme was introduced by the Federal government to remove distortions and inconsistencies in basic education delivery and reinforce the implementation of the National Policy on Education as well as to ensure access, equity and quality of basic education throughout the country. It is therefore important to ensure that all the resources, both human and material that would be used to achieve this goal is taken care of.
“Further observes that Secretaries appointed by Government to all SUBEB outstations in the thirty-three (33) Local Government Areas are political appointees to carry out the SUBEB policies and programmes in their domains for effective basic education delivery in the State. The offices of these secretaries are not habitable and conducive for carrying into effect SUBEB programmes coupled with lack of stipends to run the offices. Since efforts of the secretaries are to be felt in the Local Government in terms of educaten advancement, the chairmen of respective Local Governments in the State are thereby charged to give necessary support to these Secretaries as political heads of SUBEB in their Local Governments.”
In a resolution, the House urged the Executive Arm of Government through the Ministry of Education, the State Universal Basic Education Board, and in collaboration with UBEC to put urgent machinery in place for the construction and rehabilitation of SUBEB outstations in the 33 Local Government Areas of Oyo State while also urging the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, the Chairmen of the thirty-three(33) Local Government to consider the importance and necessity of supporting the political appointed SUBEB Secretaries in their respective domains with financial aids to advance effective service delivery and support SAFER education policy of the present administration.
