Senator Gbenga Daniel Advocates Local Government Control Over Primary Education

Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun State and now a serving senator, has voiced concerns over the state of primary education in Nigeria, advocating for its administration under local governments. He emphasized that only local governments with full financial autonomy can effectively manage primary education in the country.

Senator Daniel shared his views during a recent retreat organized by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for members of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, held in Lagos. The retreat, themed “Basic Education Implementation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges, and Way Forward,” was chaired by Daniel.

In his opening remarks, Daniel argued that local governments are best positioned to handle basic education, especially at the primary school level, and suggested that states should focus solely on secondary education.

“We should allow the local government to run basic education, especially at the primary school level, while the state should totally hand off other roles and rather concentrate on secondary education,” Daniel stated.

He identified several critical issues and challenges in the education sector that need addressing, including lack of access, poor infrastructure, shortage of competent teachers, inadequate instructional materials, outdated curriculum, insufficient funding, high teacher-to-student ratios, limited access to technology, and societal and cultural barriers. Daniel stressed that local governments are better suited to tackle these problems.

Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, also highlighted the importance of a comprehensive review of the challenges facing basic education in Nigeria and the need for a practical and lasting solution. He pointed out that the UBEC Act, now 20 years old, is overdue for revision to align with current global best practices in basic education and ensure free and quality education for all Nigerian children.

“This is the right time to do the review, especially when the country is struggling to bail itself out of economic quagmire,” Dr. Bobboyi said.

In his remarks, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Lawal Usman, affirmed the committee’s commitment to charting a new course for basic education in Nigeria. He stressed the importance of revisiting the 2004 UBEC Act and promised that the retreat would address major issues in the legislation, relating them to emerging trends in the subsector and developing practical recommendations for moving forward.