Effect of Universal Basic Education Programme (Ube) on Girl-Child Education Enrolment in Katsina Local Government Area of Katsina State

Abstract

In a bid to address girl-child education challenges and promote greater access to basic education generally, the Federal Government as a signatory to the Jomtien Declaration on Education for All (EFA, 1990) and other international treaties introduced the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Program in 1999. The UBE program seeks to ensure an uninterrupted access to 9-year formal education by providing free, and compulsory basic education for every child of school-going age, with a particular emphasis on the girl child and other disadvantaged groups. Against this backdrop, this study attempted an assessment of the effect of the UBE program on girl-child education in Katsina LGA with a particular focus on enrolment rate of the girl child. Data were generated from mainly secondary source but complemented with interviews and questionnaires. Findings of the study revealed that the UBE program has brought about increased educational enrolment of the girl-child owing to the free and compulsory basic education policy of the program, establishment of girls’ model primary schools, enlightenment on girl child education, provision of bus services and increased provision of infrastructures. Nevertheless, the program has encountered challenges such as inadequate infrastructure arising from poor funding, low value accorded girl-child education by parents, inadequate competent teaching staff, etc. The study therefore recommends increased allocation of funds; employment of more qualified and competent teachers as well as their training and retraining; imposing stiff sanctions on parents withdrawing their female children from schools; and upward review of teachers’ welfare packages to boost their morale.