Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hammid Bobboyi, has said that 10.5 million being used in the media as number of out-of-school children in Nigeria was incorrect.
Bobboyi said that neither the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) nor any other reliable statistical agency could give credence to the figure.
Addressing newsmen, in Abuja, on Thursday, the UBEC boss said the fault was neither theirs nor the public, but because UBEC was unable to periodically conduct census of all basic education facilities in Nigeria as required by their establishment Act.
He added, “The last time we conducted general census (personnel audit) of all basic education schools in Nigeria was in 2010 and that covered only public basic education schools. Obviously, it has not helped us in planning.
“However, we have concluded plans to commence the 2018 National Personnel Audit (NPA). This time, all private and public basic education schools in Nigeria would be audited by well trained 725 enumerators and UBEC officials that would be deployed to every part of Nigeria to undertake the task.”
Bobboyi said that the exercise would be undertaken in two phases. “First phase will take place next month in states in the three geopolitical zones in south, while the second phase would be conducted in June, in states in the three geopolitical zones in the north.”
The enumerators, according to him, would use designated high-tech instruments that comprises of electronic (GPS) equipment and related accessories for easy data capture, collation and processing.
He said the objectives of the exercise was to obtain comprehensive and reliable data of school age children enrolled in public and private basic education schools, obtain accurate number, qualifications and remuneration of teaching and non-teaching staff in the system.
It will also take audit of personnel information and progression in teaching service, take account of the existing basic education administrative and management personnel and provide authentic school mapping of all basic education schools in Nigeria.