Effects of Universal Basic Education Program (UBE) on educational development of Bauchi and Bogoro Local Government Areas of Bauchi state, Nigeria

Abstract

This research work is An Assessment of the Effect of Universal Basic Education on the Educational Development of Bauchi and Bogoro Local Government Areas of Bauchi State. This becomes necessary because Education is the solid bedrock upon which every form of development: social, political, religious and economic is anchored. This further explains why it is perceived as a veritable tool and as well catalyst for national development. Universal Basic Education which is supposed to be free, compulsory and accessible has remained unachievable and still faces the challenges of low students/pupils’ enrolment rates, high prevalence of school dropout and an acute shortage in the provision of infrastructural facilities necessarily needed to facilitate learning and teaching processes within the school environment more than two decades after its formal inauguration. Therefore, the study is concerned about establishing relationship between increase in enrolment, retention and completion rates and the provision of infrastructural facilities with educational development. Three Hypotheses were postulated to that effect. Survey method was adopted for data collection. The total number of sampled respondents stood at 394 drawn from the population of teachers of the selected local government areas (3446) using Yamane formula, with the addition of 10% as recommended by Israel (2013) to cater for not-return questionnaires. Multiple regression statistical analysis model was employed to determine the significant effect of the variables on educational development of the areas. The finding of the research revealed that, pupil’s enrolment in school affects educational development significantly though not sufficient enough to cause it but implies that any increase in students/pupil’s enrolment rates will have multiplier effect on educational development. It also revealed that, pupils/students’ retention and completion rates in schools had the most significant share of the effect on educational development. Infrastructural facilities were found to be non-available, dilapidated or grossly inadequate for use. The study therefore recommended that school feeding programme should not be discontinued in order to boost enrolment and retention rates and UBE should ensure adequate provision of infrastructural facilities.