The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has commenced the development of the 5-Year national inclusive education implementation framework for enhanced inclusive basic education delivery in Nigeria.
Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, speaking on Wednesday at the Stakeholder Engagement and Development of National Inclusive Education Implementation Framework in Abuja, reaffirms the commitment of the Federal Government to the delivery of quality and inclusive education in the country.
She noted that the stakeholder engagement convened by the Commission brought experts in special and inclusive education, as well as technical officers from various ministries, departments and agencies of government, development partners, and non‑governmental organisations (NGOs) to craft the ambitious national implementation framework on inclusive basic education.
According to her, the initiative is a decisive step towards making basic education in Nigeria truly inclusive and not just universal in name, urging the participants at the meeting to come up with a draft of the National Inclusive Education Implementation Framework that is realistic, actionable, and sustainable for the next five years.
She added that the framework's development would be a collaborative effort, with working groups expected to produce a detailed roadmap covering everything from disability‑friendly classrooms to assistive technology and community outreach.
"Today marks a significant step in our collective journey to ensure that basic education in Nigeria is not just universal in name but inclusive in practice," she stated.
The plan, according to the UBEC boss, aims to, over the next five years, align and pool resources across sectors to eliminate duplication and gaps and strengthen the capacity of teachers and support staff to work with children of all abilities, as well as establish robust monitoring mechanisms to track progress and adjust strategies in real time.
"I charge you to be open, critical, and innovative in your contributions. We need a framework that addresses our peculiar local challenges while adhering to global best practices," Garba stated.
She specifically asked the stakeholders to explicitly outline who does what, saying the ambiguity regarding the roles of each stakeholder in basic education must be put to an end.
Garba said: "For over a decade, the Commission has observed the landscape of special needs education with keen interest and, admittedly, some concerns. While we have made strides, our efforts have often been fragmented.
"The era of working in silos is over. The Basic Education State Action Plans require the Commission to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that inclusive basic education is accessible to all learners, regardless of their physical, intellectual, or sensory challenges.
"We need a unified strategy for deploying human and material resources so that a child in a rural school has the same chance of inclusion into schools as a child in the city, since there will be available child-friendly schools everywhere," she added.
Chairman, Governing Board of UBEC, Sen. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, said the development of the national inclusive education implementation framework aligns with the commitment of the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards ensuring that no child is left behind irrespective of their condition and background.
Earlier, the Acting Director, Department of Special Programmes and Early Childhood, Dr. Chijioke Onwuzurike, said the framework is expected to serve as a roadmap and expected to also move the nation from policy statements to practical action.
"It will ensure that when we speak of 'Education for All', we truly mean all, regardless of ability or disability. As we embark on this journey, let us work together to create an inclusive education system that is truly transformative and empowering for all learners," she stated.