From Attah Ede, Makurdi

Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has embarked upon an enrollment campaign and sensitization Programme to attract high increment of pupils and students across public primary schools in the State.Executive Chairman State Universal Basic Education Board(SUBEB), Dr Grace Adagba, said the exercise was in line with Governor Hyacinth Alia’s vision to prioritize education and make public schools more attractive to people.

Adagba who stated this while launching the campaign at Leach Hotel Otukpo for Benue South Geo political zone also known as zone c, said already the programme had successfully launched in Makurdi for Zone B. She maintained that the campaign is targeted at achieving massive turnout on enrollment in public Schools in the next academic session.Adagba lamented that despite efforts to make education compulsory, public schools lack pupils to utilize the provided infrastructure, facilities, and quality teachers.According to her, stakeholder’s education sectors including parents, teachers’ traditional and religious leaders will be part of the body to drive the campaign across every nook and cranny of the State.She explained that the government has announced a plan to recruit 9,700 teachers to strengthen quality education in the State.The SUBEB chairman called on all stakeholders to embrace free and compulsory basic education available in public Schools; which has been revitalized to benefit the State’s Children, adding that Governor Alia’s administration has revitalized Public Schools for optimal outcomes and urged all parents to take advantage of the opportunity.”Teachers in public primary schools in Benue received quarterly training from experts from Universal Basic Education in conjunction with donor agencies like UNICEF. It is our priority and our desire that all public schools in Benue are adequately enrolled and equipped”, Adagba stated.In his remark, Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management,Rev.Dr. Frederick Ikyaan, lamented the high number of Out -Of -School Children in the State.Ikyaan, who declared the programme open, however called for collective participation of all stakeholders to ensure children receive quality education that prepares them for the 21st Century. He emphasized that the enrollment drive campaign programme is aimed at unlocking potentials and building a prosperous society.While receiving both the executive chairman and the commissioner of education in his palace, O’chi Idoma, His Royal Majesty, Dr. John Elaigwu Odogbo, pledged to partner with SUBEB to encourage parents to enroll their children in public schools.Osogbo described the programme as timely and commended Adagba for her efforts, assuring that the Idoma Traditional Council would mobilize its members to support the enrollment drive. He tasked traditional rulers in his domain to sensitize their people on the importance of education, emphasizing that it is key to unlocking the potential of their children. He assured SUBEB of his council’s commitment to ensuring the success of the enrollment drive campaign.In a paper presentation tagged “Free Compulsory Basic Education For all Children: The role of parents and the community,” Dr. Jackson Odey of Benue State University Makurdi posited that while the government may be implementing its statutory responsibility of providing free education, parents are bound to play their complementary role of preparing their children to access basic education. In other papers presented by Dr Nasela Pila,Dr Peter Akpen and Ruth Kwaghkaha, all emphasized the need for Parents and Guardians to enroll their children into Early Childhood Care Development Education (ECCDE)Centres, Public Primary and Junior Secondary Schools.In their Separate Goodwill messages, The Ad’Ohimini,Chief John Ochai, The State NUT Chairman, Comrade Levi Akuma commended Dr Grace Adagba for the ECCDE initiative and pledged their commitment towards its successful implementation in Benue.A statement by the SUBEB information, Emmanuella Akese, said the sensitization campaign was attended by Traditional Leaders, Religious Leaders, Community groups, Principals, Head teachers, Education Managers from the nine Local Government Areas in the Zone.