COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION (UBE) PROGRAMME IN NIGERIA AND GHANA

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the factors affecting the implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) and the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) in Nigeria and Ghana.  The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The area of the study was Abuja in Nigeria and Greater Accra in Ghana while the population of the study was 6336 teachers and head teachers from Nigeria and Ghana respectively. The sample for the study consisted of 560 teachers and 260 head teachers from twelve primary schools in Abuja in Nigeria and Accra in Ghana respectively in the 2015/2016 session. 280 teachers and 130 head teachers were purposively sampled out of a population of 3544 in Nigeria while 280 teachers and 130 head teachers were purposively sampled out of 2192 in Ghana. Two instruments were used for data collection. They were a researcher developed questionnaire titled “Factors Affecting Basic Education Questionnaire”(FABEQ) and observation checklist. The instruments were face validated by three experts-two from the Department of Arts Education and one from Science Education (Measurement and Evaluation), all from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.The overall reliability index of 0.92 determined through Cronbach Alpha was obtained for the reliability of the instrument Four research questions and four null hypotheses tested at  0.05 level of significance were used for the study. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while t-test statistic was used to test the hypotheses. Results of the study revealed that the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) and the National Inspectorate Board (NIB) to a low extent provide infrastructural facilities to Nigeria and Ghana public primary schools; SUBEB and NIB to a low extent carry out supervisory functions with respect to implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme in primary schools in Nigeria and Ghana; Primary school teachers to a low extent are motivated to carry out their duties and fund to a low extent is provided for the implementation of UBE and FCUBE programmes in Nigeria and Ghana. Based on the results of the findings, recommendations were made which include among others, that SUBEB, NIB and other stakeholders in education should endeavour to improve upon the provision of infrastructural facilities including modern technological tools to enhance the implementation  of basic education in Nigeria and Ghana; Government should organize seminars and workshops on regular basis for head teachers and education supervisors to acquaint them with better strategies they should employ to ensure effective supervision and monitoring of teachers at the basic education level; Government should as a matter of urgency increase the salary of basic education teachers and, provide them with adequate incentives and enabling environment which would motivate them to carry out their duties with ease.