ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the Challenges mitigating the implementation of UBE programmed in Nigeria. (A case study of primary schools in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State) . To guide this study five research questions were posed and five null-hypotheses were formulated. The design of the study was a descriptive survey design. The population comprised of 2,673 made up of 238 head teachers and 2,435 teachers of UBE primary schools in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State. The sample constituted of 40 head teachers and 80 teachers drawn from 3 local government areas of the zone. A total of 360 respondents participated in the study. A 30-item questionnaire was used for data collection. Mean rating and t-test were used in answering the research questions and testing of the null-hypothesis respectively. The findings showed among others that infrastructural facilities,, instructional material, trained teachers and funds are not adequately available to a high extent for the effective implementation of UBE programmed in the primary schools. Also the findings of the study regarding the challenges mitigating the implementation to the effective implementation of the UBE programmed revealed that lack of proper supervision of teaching and learning in primary schools, inadequate provision of instructional materials and infrastructural facilities to primary schools. Poor finding of educational programmed and poor statistical data on UBE primary schools were to a high extent challenges mitigating the implementation to the effective implementation of the UBE programmed in primary schools. Based on this, recommendation were made which include: that government should recruit more teaching staff for the primary schools and provide adequate training incentives, infrastructural facilities, instructional materials and funding for the effective implementation of the UBE programmed in the schools in Nsukka Education Zone.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1,1 Background of the Study
Education in all countries of the world has been considered very important for personal and societal development. Nigeria is one among the nations of the world that values education. In her National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004) Nigeria sees education as an excellent instrument for effecting national development. Thus, education will be used to achieve the nation’s needs. The policy document provides guidelines on the education of Nigerian society. It contains the philosophy of the nation’s education, levels of education and their objectives, beginning with pre-primary, through primary, secondary to tertiary education.
All over the world, primary education has been regarded as the most important as well as the most accessed by people. This perhaps may be due to the fact that it is the foundation of the whole educational pursuit, which is expected to provide literacy and enlightenment to the citizens. Oni (2008) posited that the importance of primary education can be seen in the sense that all beneficiaries of the other levels of education by necessity have to pass through this level. Federal Republic of Nigeria in her National Police on Education (2004) defined primary
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education as the kind of education given in an institution for children aged 6-11 years plus, and it constitutes the bedrock upon which the entire educational system is built. It is in view of the indispensable role of education in the development of man and modern society, particularly the primary education that various declarations on education were made at the global level. Such declaration includes The 1984 Human Rights Declaration which states that everyone has right to education, which will be free at least in the elementary school. The Jomtein Declaration on Education for All (EFA) by the year 2000. The New Delhi 1993 Declaration on E-9 Countries in 1993 (the nine countries with the largest concentration of illiteracy of which Nigeria is a member) which was later reaffirmed in Recife, Brazil (2000) by calling for a massive eradication of illiteracy within the shortest possible time span.