BENUE SUBEB EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN REVIVES EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS

The Executive Chairman, Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Grace Adagba, has called on Education Secretaries (ESs) and Early Childhood Care Development Education (ECCDE) Desk Officers from the 23 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) to rejuvenate early childhood education programmes in all Public Primary Schools across the State.

During a meeting today at Board, Dr. Adagba emphasized the importance of ECCDE in laying a solid foundation for future learning and underscored the need for improved educational opportunities for Benue children. She urged the ESs to actively publicize the board's innovative efforts to establish ECCDE centres in all public schools.

Highlighting a recent directive from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Adagba mandated the establishment of ECCDE centres in all public schools. She also directed that headteachers begin admitting children aged 2-5 into ECCDE classes starting from the next academic session.

To ensure the successful implementation of these directives, Dr. Adagba charged the ESs to convene emergency meetings with headteachers to sensitize them on the importance of ECCDE. She also directed teachers to work during holidays to facilitate enrollment, admissions, and lesson plan preparations before the commencement of the new academic session.

Further, she urged the ESs to launch campaigns to promote public schools, highlighting the high standards and quality of education available in basic education schools. Dr. Adagba also suggested organizing programmes such as quizzes and debates to showcase excellence and maintaining clean environments in schools to attract learners and parents.

Dr. Adagba announced that SUBEB plans to conduct enrollment drive campaigns and sensitization programmes in the three geo- political zones of the State. She encouraged the ESs to take full advantage of this initiative to enhance ECCDE implementation in their respective areas.

In response, the ES Agatu Mrs Helen Ameh and Desk Officer, ECCDE Ado LGEA Mr Brown Ochai, expressed gratitude to Dr. Adagba for her efforts to revive the forgotten days of quality basic education and pledged their commitment to working hard to improve basic education in the State.