EVALUATION OF THE MANAGEMENT OF UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1         Background to the Study

The place of education as a unique social process that guarantees the skills, competencies and knowledge of an individual, group(s) of persons and indeed the entire society cannot be overemphasized. It is in line with this fact that educationists compartmentalized ways of acquiring and disseminating it into three categories. These are formal, informal, and non – informal education. The justification of this includes but not limited to the curriculum content i.e. nature of instructions, structural process and to a lesser extent the target groups. It is significant to note that this compartmentalization is purely for academic conveniences. Hence, the line separating them is imaginary as evidence of overlapping and infusion of the main features of each category can be found in the other.

Several scholars have advanced the indispensability of education in the life of any nation or individual. Aliyu (2010) viewed education as the greatest fount of empowerment in the whole world. Sidhu (2010) also viewed education as a weapon for combating ignorance, poverty, and disease, as a bridge between confusion and comprehension, as a dam for conserving man‟s store of civilization, and for generating the power to move to greater height as rocket for transforming man from state of intellectual subservience to a state of intellectual sovereignty.

It is pertinent to note that the scientific and technological breakthrough that has been achieved in technologically advanced countries such as Japan, Britain, France, United States of America, China, and other Asia tigers was made possible by heavy investment in education. In line with this disposition, Federal Government of Nigeria (2004) stated that, education in Nigeria is an instrument par excellence for effecting national development. The Nigerian government has

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stated that for the benefit of all citizens, the country‟s educational goals must be relevant to the needs of the individuals and the society, in consonance with the realities of our environment and the modern world (FGN, 2004). However, education (both formal and informal) was a powerful force which transformed the socio-political and economic life of Nigeria from what it was during the pre-colonial independent era.

EVALUATION OF THE MANAGEMENT OF UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA