UBEC, UNICEF Train Northern SBMCs To Boost School Enrolment , Advocacy

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have commenced a three-day capacity-building programme for School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) stakeholders from the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to strengthen community participation in schools and improve enrolment.

The training, which opened in Kano on Monday, focuses on revised operational documents for SBMCs aimed at improving school governance, accountability and community ownership of basic education.

Speaking at the event, UBEC Director of Social Mobilisation, Adamu Gurama, represented by the Head of Community Engagement and Social Mobilisation, Patricia Uche, said the programme was designed to equip participants with the skills needed to strengthen functional SBMCs and address the challenge of out-of-school children.

She said the revised documents include the SBMC Operational Manual, the Guidelines for Monitoring and Mentoring of SBMCs in Nigeria, and the SBMC School Improvement Plan Implementation Manual.

According to her, the training is expected to deepen participants’ understanding of the revised manuals, strengthen their capacity to mentor and monitor SBMCs, and improve collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations and communities.

Uche noted that the updated manuals now address emerging issues such as climate change, gender-based violence, safe schools and education in emergencies.

“Flooding, insecurity, bullying and sexual harassment have increasingly affected education delivery. We revised the documents to reflect current realities and ensure these challenges do not hinder learning,” she said.

She added that the revised manuals have already taken effect and would soon be distributed nationwide for implementation.

Representing the Executive Chairman of the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board, Yusuf Kabir, the Director of Upper Basic Schools, Maikudi Abdul Al-Alawi, commended UBEC and UNICEF for the initiative.

He described SBMCs as critical platforms for promoting transparency, accountability and community participation in school management, noting that Kano State continues to support SBMC activities through funding and provision of office space.

Also speaking, National SBMC official, Kabir Aliyu, said there were plans to digitalise SBMC operations nationwide to improve monitoring and enable communities to report challenges for quick intervention.

He said the training would be cascaded to states and grassroots communities to strengthen school governance and boost enrolment across Northern Nigeria.