UBE MANAGERS HARP ON THE NEED TO INCULCATE AGRO ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS

The Management of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and counterparts from the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) of the 36 States and FCT have expressed their determination to support the inculcation of agro entrepreneurship ideals in basic education institutions in the country.  This was one of the major decisions taken at the just concluded 20^th Quarterly Meeting of UBEC Management and SUBEB Chairmen, held in Lafia, Nasarawa State from March 5^th – 8^th, 2018 and with the theme ‘Agriculture in Basic Education: Preparing the next Generation of Nigeria’s Agro- Entrepreneurs’.

The meeting which was declared open by the Honorable Minister of State for Education Prof. Anthony G. Anwukah was the 20^th in the series of quarterly interactions between UBE system managers at national and state levels. The 20^th meeting was preceded by courtesy calls on the Governor of Nasarawa State (represented by his Deputy, Hon. Silas Agara) as well as the Emir of Lafia Dr. Isa Mustapha Agwai I, Chairman, Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs and Emirs. During the courtesy visits, the Minister and visiting UBE Managers applauded Nasarawa State Government’s initiative in UBE delivery especially its interventions in Special Needs Education and urged improved collaboration towards addressing the out-of-school challenge.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Honorable Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony G. Anwukah expressed the Federal Government’s resolve to vigorously implement its change agenda in the education sector. He noted that plans have reached advanced stages for the declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector by the federal government in April this year and urged State Governments to do same with the hope that efforts taken in such direction would refocus attention on and improve UBE delivery across the country.

Nasarawa State Governor, ably represented by his Deputy, Hon. Silas Agara, while declaring the meeting open appreciated the Management of UBEC for drawing attention to the need to refocus on agriculture maintaining that this was a right step in the right direction. He called on governments at all levels to evolve strategic policies that will revitalize the agricultural value chain and revolutionize the country’s industrial base, especially through improved emphasis on agriculture in the basic education curriculum.

As part of presentations made at the meeting UBEC Executive Secretary emphasized on the importance of the reintroducing rudiments of School Farming with special attention to basic knowledge and skills on agro production among learners. He maintained that emphasis on the acquisition of agricultural knowledge and skills by our young learners would increase leaners’ interest and also stimulate their interest and future potentials as agro entrepreneurs.

In addition to the routine interactions at the meeting, resource persons took time to share their thoughts and experiences in agriculture through scholarly papers and presentations including,  ‘Promoting Vocational Agriculture in Basic Education for Job and Wealth Creation amongst Youths in Nigeria’, by Dr. Sadiq Zubair of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, ‘Establishment of School Farms in Basic Education Schools as a Training Platform for Future Entrepreneurs in Irrigated Agriculture’ by Ado Abdullahi of Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Authority, ‘Integrated Farming: A tool for Mop-up of out-of-school Children, through Entrepreneurial Training in Basic Education’ by Mr. Nachshon Nor of the Israel Demonstration Farm, Keffi, Nasarawa State, and ‘Nurturing the Next Generation of Agropreneurs for Food and Income Security in Nigeria’ by Prof. Happiness Ogba Oselebe of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

The meeting which saw participants undertaking a guided tour of the Nasarawa Special Education School in Lafia and the Israeli Demonstration Farm in Keffi Nasarawa State succeeded in galvanizing support for priority attention on agriculture in basic education not only as a subject but also as a means of empowering the youths with requisite life skills. The communiqué issued at the end of the meeting is expected to be shared among key UBE managers at all levels with the view to encouraging positive and prompt actions in setting up of school farms in basic education institutions.