COVID-19: UBEC to establish digital resource centre in FCT

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) said it would establish a digital resource centre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where students can take online classes.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, spoke when he led a delegation of top management staff of the commission on a courtesy visit to the FCTA on Friday.

He commended the FCT Administration for its efforts in the development of basic education and called for the support of the FCTA for the establishment of the centre.

“One of the challenges that we have in the country has been in the area of qualified teachers.

Looking at what is available in other parts of the country, we are very much encouraged looking at the picture here in the FCT. Despite the challenges, the FCT is deemed to have a high number of qualified teachers.

“Others have unqualified ratios that are very appalling. In primary schools, again, FCT qualified teachers are much higher, well above 86 percent, while at junior secondary school, you have up to about 88 percent to almost 90 percent.

“So, it’s a trend that we encourage for the simple fact that without qualified teachers, it’s very difficult to establish a qualitative educational system in the country,” he said.

According to a statement by

Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, the FCT minister’s Chief Press Secretary, the UBEC chairman also recognised the efforts of the FCTA in reducing the number of out-of-school children in the territory.

He commended the administration for accessing its UBEC funds up to 2019, saying many other states were still struggling, adding that the FCTA had utilized the resources judiciously with the provision of infrastructure.

Speaking on the establishment of the digital resource centre, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, pledged the support of the FCTA saying that it would be very difficult for agencies such as UBEC to function efficiently without leveraging on technology.