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Smarting from the euphoria of participating in the 69th National Council on Education (NCE) meeting in Akure, Ondo State, that Executive Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Grace Adagba, has received the Liaison Officer of Donor Agencies and his team at the Board’s headquarters in Makurdi.
The NCE is Nigeria’s highest policy-making body in the education sector and brings together education commissioners, permanent secretaries, institutional heads, policymakers, and technocrats from across the country to deliberate on strategies for strengthening the Nation’s education system. The theme was “Quality education data and professionalism of teaching: Tools for enhanced national development.”
Meanwhile, the visit of the Liaison Officer of Donor Agencies and his team followed a formal request from Save the Children International (SCI) to discuss ongoing implementation and progress of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) programme in Benue State.
During the engagement, the Liaison Officer, Joshua Anar, presented key updates on the milestones of the GPE programme, highlighting achievements recorded in targeted schools as well as the collaborative efforts aimed at strengthening the quality of basic education delivery across the State. Discussions also focused on the integration of GPE-supported volunteer teachers into the formal government payroll to ensure sustainability and continuity of quality learning, while reviewing the progress and challenges associated with the transition of Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) participants into the formal school system. In addition, both parties exchanged views on preparations for the forthcoming National Program Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja later this month, where Benue State’s input and experiences will be presented at the national level.
Dr. Adagba commended SCI, the GPE and other development partners such as UNHCR for their continued support toward improving access to inclusive and quality education for children in Benue State. She reaffirmed the Board’s unwavering commitment to fostering strategic partnerships that will enhance teacher welfare, learning outcomes, and overall education standards across the State as well as partnership with Save the Children Initiative to drastically cut down the number of out of school children in the State.
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Speaking at the opening ceremony of 69th NCE meeting at the International Event Centre (The Dome) in Akure, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the theme as timely and strategic, stressing that a modern education system must be driven by accurate data and high professional standards. He explained that Nigeria must align its education processes with the global knowledge economy and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Dr. Alausa outlined several reforms currently being implemented by the Ministry, including the work of the National Education Repository and Data Bank (NERD), which has launched the Central Digital Bank for the Education Sector to verify the country’s academic outputs and credentials. He also noted the deployment of the Digital Nigerian Education Information System (DNEMIS), which lists and geo-maps all schools nationwide to ensure that every learner—from basic to tertiary levels—is digitally captured, tracked, and authenticated. The Minister further highlighted the gains of the Revised Basic Education Curriculum (BEC), saying the streamlining of subjects is expected to make learning more focused and productive. He added that government efforts to reduce the number of Out-of-School Children are yielding results, with plans underway to enroll children aged 6–9 years into low-cost private schools, while others will be placed in schools and training centres in collaboration with the Almajiri Commission.
Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, commended President Bola Tinubu for his ongoing reforms in the education sector, particularly the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said has helped reduce disparities in access to quality education across the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. Adagba reaffirmed Benue State’s commitment to strengthening data systems for improved planning and accountability. She noted that accurate and reliable data remain essential to achieving better learning outcomes, adding that her recent engagement with the Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr. Margaret Adamu, reaffirmed the State’s determination to enhance data collection across Public and Private Schools. Dr. Adagba emphasized that quality education begins with quality information, and assured that the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia is committed to ensuring that every decision in the basic education sector is informed, transparent, and aligned with National standards.
Benue State is represented at the meeting by the Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr. Margaret Adamu, the Permanent Secretary for Secondary Education, Mrs. Helen Nambativ; the Permanent Secretary for Basic Education, Mrs. Bibiana Tyoishi and the Directors of Planning, Research and Statistics from both the Ministry of Education and SUBEB, Mr. Terkimbi Aniho and Mr. Akura Terkimbi.
