SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY ARC MOHAMMED NAMADI SAMBO fnia, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KADUNA STATE AT THE INAUGURATION OF MEMBERS OF THE STATE BASIC EDUCATION MONITORING COMMITTEES (SBEMCs) HELD ON THURSDAY 15^TH MAY, 2008 AT SIR KASHIM IBRAHIM HOUSE, GOVERNMENT HOUSE KADUNA.

Protocol

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent and the most Merciful. It is with pride that I present this address on the occasion of the inauguration of the State Basic Education Monitoring Committees (SBEMCs) for our Basic Education Schools. The idea of establishing these Committees in the 31 Constituencies in the State has become very necessary in view of the new approach to basic education delivery which emphasizes the participation of all stakeholders in the management of schools.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the legislation of a Law to allow for the implementation of the Universal Basic Education by our Legislators is commendable. One of the essential features of the UBE Act 2004, mandates the UBEC to initiate activities that will engender the full participation and partnership with all stakeholders such as the establishment of the SBEMCs in all Public Primary and Junior Secondary schools in the Federation.

To further support the aforementioned, I consider it imperative to establish the State Basic Education Monitoring Committee (SBEMC) as a strategy for redoubling our efforts and that of all stakeholders to ensure the success of the programme in order to achieve Education For All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in this country by 2015.

Ladies and Gentlemen, considering the fact that the challenges facing quality education delivery in our country are enormous, there is therefore a compelling need for all stakeholders in the Education sector to make genuine commitments towards pooling relevant resources together, intellectual abilities and other capabilities towards ensuring that Basic Education delivery does not become an overbearing task borne by a single entity alone. May I remind you of the UBE slogan that “Education for All is the Responsibility of All.” This however does not translate to anything near denial of our earlier resolve to give Free and Compulsory Primary Education in the State.

The new collective approach therefore, is meant to encourage full participation of all in the planning, execution, monitoring and to some extent, evaluating the Education Programmes in every public school with the aim of making UBE a people’s programme. In the light of this therefore, very strong synergies and partnerships must be established with communities in every locality in order to obtain the much needed support.

The SBEMCs therefore, is an attempt to evolve a process of social interaction in which all principal actors and other relevant stakeholders are engaged in programme implementation and would further assist greatly in meeting the needs of schools and solving their problems.

Through this initiative, community members will have the opportunity to play very distinct roles in actualizing community interest and capacities towards the improvement of Basic Education System, administration and the eventual outcome from it.

We are all aware of the need for quality control in the Education system. Thus, to effectively ensure meaningful quality control at the school level, the Government has taken up the challenge of the establishment of SBEMC with all seriousness, commitment and resources required for the set objectives to be realized.

The Terms of References/Schedules for the Basic Education Monitoring Committees is as enunciated in your Letters of Services.

May I relate that Education shall remain the topmost priority of this administration’s Eleven Point Agenda after Security. It is in this regard that this Government has taken steps since assumption of office to improve the quality of basic education by way of :

i.            Supply of free uniforms and textbooks to some primary schools which is still ongoing;

ii.           Special intervention in Primary Education through contract awards for the execution of the following jobs;

Construction of:

• 372 classrooms

• 117 Offices/stores

• 372 VIP Toilets

• 8,280 2-seater desks/benches

• 759 teachers’ chairs

• 529 teachers’ tables

It is also in realization of our commitment for improving the quality of education that two banks, Spring Bank (PLC) and Intercontinental Bank (PLC) extended their support to us by the donation of assorted number of writing materials for distribution to schools across the State.

We must not forget to also thank the Japanese Government and other financial institutions that have renovated our schools and made them a pride of place and a conducive atmosphere for learning.

The State Education Sector Project a World Bank assisted programme will inject about 5 million US Dollars ($5m) within a period of 3 years for the improvement of Primary and Junior Secondary Education in the State.

At this juncture, while I congratulate you on your new appointments to serve on the SBEMCs, I equally wish to state that we have high expectations from you. It is my firm believe that with these committees on ground and at grassroots level, the State will soon witness revitalization in the education sector - particularly at the Basic Education level.

It is now my singular honour and privilege to inaugurate the committees and also wish all of you the best in your new assignments.

Thank you for listening and God bless.

Governor Arch Mohammed Namadi Sambo is a true democrat, whose approach to problems is always humane and conciliatory he is a man of peace who patiently looked to the future with courage and hope. His commitment in the direction of transforming the state into a relatively better integrated and functional polity is continuing  with a mission  to create a stable  and cohesive polity capable of securing effectively the interests of the various communities and giving them the opportunity to develop and live in peace  with one another.