Recently, a joint public hearing on Bills for an Act to amend the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004 and Other Related Matters, 2025 was held at the National Assembly, Abuja.
The bill was deliberated by the Senate and House of Reps and the two committees under the red and green chambers – Senate Committee for Basic and Secondary Education and House Committee for Basic Education and Secondary Services, were mandated to carry out a public hearing to get the opinions of stakeholders for further legislative actions.
Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, Chairman of the Senate Committee said the amendment is pivotal to unlocking the potentials of future generations and added that education is not just a fundamental human right, it is a foundation of the future a nation and what it stands for.
He said over the years, the country has witnessed systematic issues like inadequate funding that has affected educational development and lack of accountability in implementation process for policies made.
“These are challenges that have created gaps in our basic educational system”, he said.”It leaves millions of Nigerians without access to the basic education that they deserve”, Mr. Usman added.
Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Hon Mark Useni said since the inception of UBEC Act in 2004, the law has guaranteed the provision of free, accessible education for primary and junior secondary schools for children and the amendments are necessary to keep to pace with the changing times.
He also assured that the legislative arm of government will ensure that the objective of the amendment is met.
“We (legislators) are aware of our responsibilities and are ready to carry them out, ensuring that not only do we move this process but, ensure that it is amended to solve current challenges, he enumerated.
“Necessary changes to this document can only be achieved through collective efforts from stakeholders. This is the reason the National Assembly cannot proceed without this important engagement of this nature.
“We want to ensure that every child reaches their full potentials through getting quality education”, Hon. Useni concluded.
The public hearing brought together stakeholders that include the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Aisha Garba; the Deputy Executive secretary (Technical), Prof. Bala Zakari, and other UBEC officials.
Others were the Dean, forum of State Universal Basic Education, SUBEB Chairmen in Nigeria, Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja and Sub Deans, including the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board Chairman, Dr. Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi who is the Sub Dean South East geopolitical Zone; the NUT; among others.
The function was a platform for stakeholders to make a summary presentation of their submission while the Joint Committee comprising the Senate Committee on Education for both Basic and Secondary education, and the House Committee on Basic Education and Services awaits the written submission.