Francesca Odimgbe
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has stated that his administration is ready to collaborate with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to provide quality education across the country, especially in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu affirmed this today during a Courtesy Visit by the Executive Secretary and Board Members of UBEC Board held at the Office of the Deputy Governor, the Roundhouse, Alausa, Ikeja.
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, noted that education is the foundation of national development, and it must remain the priority of the nation, particularly states.
His words, “In 2025, no child in Nigeria should be left out of school. Education should not be about region or culture, or tradition; it is a fundamental right. If we get primary education right, the future of our children will be secure.”
The Governor, therefore, stated his administration’s commitment to partnering with the UBEC to provide qualified teachers, proper security, and full infrastructure for the Smart Model School, built by the Commission in Lagos.
Speaking further, Sanwo-Olu highlighted the need for peer review among states, encouraging a real-time knowledge sharing by UBEC to aid the needs of every state, adding that the best practices in Lagos and other regions can be replicated nationwide for the overall development of the country.
Citing Badagry’s history as a former slave route, the Governor stressed the importance of education in securing Nigeria’s self-sufficiency, emphasizing that Nigeria never again depends on external powers for its progress.
He commended the commission’s new funding model, which allows states to apply resources according to their specific needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, is a welcome development in the country.
In addition, he admonished education stakeholders to consider data-driven planning, stronger attention to special needs in the education sector, and proactive health checks for pupils, including vision and hearing assessments, to ensure no child is left behind.
Earlier in her remark, the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, stated that the board is in Lagos to seek partnership with the state Government in providing qualified teachers, proper security, transportation for students, and full infrastructure completion for the Smart Model School, built by the Commission in Badagry.
Garba added that to make the school functional, the state government must support and sustain it. She said that the school has the capacity to accommodate almost a thousand students, with a lot of technological facilities that the commission procured in terms of computers, smart interactive boards, among others.
“We built the Smart School at Iworo-Ajido, Badagry, Lagos State, which happens to host one of the largest smart schools built by UBEC. So it’s very important that we partner together to see how we can sustain that investment in terms of ensuring teachers are recruited by the state, also to ensure that at least there’s transportation for students, as well as ensuring the security in that particular school,” she said.
Speaking further, the Executive Secretary noted that Lagos is leading in terms of achieving the outcomes in education in the country, adding that the commission hosting its quarterly meeting in the state allows other State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) to see the Lagos model in terms of delivering quality education.
“We decided to host the senior management retreat in Lagos for the Southern Zone because when it comes to education, Lagos is leading in outcomes. So for us, it’s very important that we pick a state where we want to manage all our operations through one of the best models established within the country,” Garba stated.
The Executive Secretary, therefore, calls for a partnership between the Lagos State Government and UBEC in all aspects, particularly in partnership with the private sector, as the state has one of the largest private sector education service providers in the country, adding that there are low learning outcomes across all other states.
According to her, “We want to really work with you to see how this particular model can be replicated. We are delighted that private sector can take the lead in many of our states across Nigeria in working with us to improve access and quality of education, just the way they did here in Lagos, as well as also work with the private sector themselves to see how we can encourage them to go and set up these schools, especially the low-cost private schools in some parts of the Southern Nigeria, especially the neighboring states around here.