THE UBEC MODEL SCHOOLS IN CROSS RIVER STATE: THE GAINS OF THE EXPERIMENT

 

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in its bid to expand access to Basic Education across the country embarked on the establishment of Junior Secondary Schools to complement the effort of State Governments in this direction.  In Cross River State, the schools are located in each of the 3 Senatorial Districts – Akpabuyo in the South, Abi in the Central and Yala in the North.

 Although UBEC provided the structures, and a few infrastructure, the State Government took the burden of ensuring that other requirements for boarding schools were provided to enhance the commencement of academic activities.

The benevolence of the Cross River State Government in ensuring that the schools did not remain moribund can be fully appreciated within the context of his enduring appetite for educational development and advancement in the State. This was demonstrated through His Excellency’s quick approval for the commencement of academic activities in the schools and the immediate follow up by the energetic and determined effort of the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr. Stephen Odey.

Without any delay, the Board, relying on the ingenuity of its pragmatic Chairman put in place necessary machineries for the take-off of the schools. The required facilities were put in place and the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff was undertaken in earnest.

 Within a couple of months, the stage was set for academic activities beginning from the 2016/2017 academic session. As at today the schools have grown in leaps and bounds and are flourishing with dependable management and staff.

An interesting feature of the schools is that they operate a complete boarding system without any allowance for day students. This makes the schools unique amongst public secondary schools in the State. This experiment is quite fruitful and attractive to parents who have the desire for their children to attend boarding schools since the private boarding institutions of similar status are clearly exorbitant and not within the reach of many.  In line with the Basic Education dictates, the schools are tuition free, with marginal charges for boarding and sundry requirements.

There is no wonder, therefore, that with little or no publicity, the schools have attracted students even from outside the State. Parents are not only excited over this initiative by the State Government but are encouraged by the standard of teaching and learning put in place by the State Universal Basic Education Board.

By the close of the 2018/2019 academic session, the first batch of students will be writing the Junior Secondary School examination, thereby completing their 9 years of Basic Education programme. The students are, therefore, required to transit to the Senior Secondary School level, for which parents have made representations for the State Government to provide the necessary facilities for their children and wards to continue the Senior Secondary school programme in the same environment under the tutelage of SUBEB.

Following these representations by parents and Guardians, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has accordingly made a request to His Excellency, the Governor through the Ministry of Education for the expansion of facilities in the schools to enhance the take-off of the Senior Secondary School section in the schools. It is the hope of SUBEB that the State Ministry of Education will give a serious thought to this request in order not to frustrate the aspiration of parents in their bid to secure an unimpeded transition of their children and wards to the Senior Secondary School.

SUBEB on its own part, will continue to ensure that the standard set for the schools remains at all times high to rekindle the confidence of parents in the administration of the schools by ensuring that the students compete favourably with the best set of students in any part of the country.

 It is highly envisaged that the growth and development of these schools will advance progressively, and that the facilities for the Senior Secondary school will be provided to enhance the possibility of a complete Secondary Education Career within the Model Schools set up.