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ONDO SUBEB TRAINS MASTER- TRAINERS ON SCHOOL-BASED MANAGEMENT, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION
The Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in collaboration with Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has commenced a three-day Train-the-Trainers Workshop on the Roles and Responsibilities of School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) in the delivery of basic education in Ondo State, with a renewed call for stronger community participation, accountability and inclusive governance in the management of public primary schools.
Declaring the workshop open at St. James’ Mega Primary School Hall, Irowo, Akure, the Permanent Secretary of Ondo SUBEB, Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole, PhD, described the School-Based Management Committee as a critical structure for promoting effective school governance and improving learning outcomes.
She noted that the committee remains one of the most reliable platforms for fostering community ownership, transparency, accountability and active stakeholders’ participation in the administration of schools.
According to her, practical experience in the education sector has shown that schools perform better when communities are actively involved in planning, monitoring, resource mobilisation and decision-making processes that affect teaching and learning.
In a statement signed by the Media Officer in the Board, Banjo Egunjobi, the Permanent Secretary stressed that the active engagement of parents, community leaders, civil society groups and other education stakeholders is indispensable to building a responsive and result-driven basic education system.
Princess Bayo-Ilawole explained that the review of the SBMC operational documents by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), in collaboration with UNICEF and other relevant stakeholders, was a timely intervention aimed at addressing emerging challenges in the basic education sub-sector.
She said the revised documents are designed to reposition SBMCs for more effective discharge of their statutory responsibilities and to align their operations with present-day realities in school administration and community participation.
The Permanent Secretary charged participants, drawn as Master Trainers, to go beyond merely understanding the revised operational guidelines by developing the capacity to effectively cascade the knowledge acquired during the workshop.
She urged them to demonstrate strong facilitation skills, mentorship ability, advocacy competence, effective communication, conflict resolution techniques and community engagement strategies, adding that the success of the initiative would depend largely on their commitment to faithfully transferring the knowledge to other stakeholders at the grassroots.
Reaffirming the commitment of the Ondo State Government to quality, equitable and inclusive education, Princess Bayo-Ilawole commended the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, for his unwavering support for the education sector, particularly through the prompt payment of the counterpart fund.
She noted that the administration’s sustained investment in basic education reflects its resolve to strengthen the foundation of learning and ensure better opportunities for children across the state.
The Permanent Secretary, however, emphasised that government alone cannot deliver the desired transformation in the education sector without the active support of all relevant stakeholders.
She therefore called for deeper collaboration among government agencies, development partners, traditional institutions, parents, communities, civil society organisations and other education partners, expressing confidence that the workshop would equip participants with the tools needed to drive positive change and further improve the standard of basic education delivery in Ondo State.
In her goodwill message, the State Coordinator of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Mrs. Olanike Adams, described the School-Based Management Committee as one of the most effective structures for promoting community ownership, participation and transparency in school administration.
Mrs. Adams said the importance of SBMCs in the development of basic education cannot be overemphasised, as they provide a veritable platform for collaboration among parents, teachers, community leaders and other relevant stakeholders.
According to her, through such partnerships, schools are better positioned to address challenges, mobilise support and improve accountability in the management of educational resources.
Welcoming participants to the workshop, the Director of Social Mobilisation, ODSUBEB, Mrs. Olukemi Akinmoladun, stated that the training was designed to build the capacity of selected participants who will serve as Master Trainers for the step-down training across the 18 Local Government Education Areas (LGEAs) in Ondo State.
She stressed that the workshop was aimed at equipping participants with the knowledge, skills and strategies needed to effectively train other stakeholders at the grassroots level, adding that the lessons learnt should not be kept to themselves but must be transferred to relevant stakeholders in their respective Local Government Education Areas for the overall improvement of basic education delivery in the state.
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