Government begins assessment of basic knowledge sub-sector with 60, 480 pupils

The Federal Government is set to flag off the 2017 National Assessment of Learning Achievement in Basic Education (NALABE), to determine the success or otherwise of the programme.

Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, who disclosed this to reporters in Abuja ahead of the 5th edition of the scheme, said the assessment would enable the tracking of standards of education at the basic level.

Bobboyi added that the assessment, billed to hold between November 22 and 24, would also be used to gauge the state of basic education and proffer solutions to some of the constraints and challenges confronting the sub-sector.

The programme was held in 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2011 respectively.

The UBEC boss explained that the programme basically would look into the efficiency and quality of performance of primary and junior secondary school pupils in the country using the quantitative and qualitative methods.

According to him, 1,080 primary schools and 432 junior secondary schools will constitute the school sample.

Bobboyi stated that six Local Government Education Authorities (LGEA) were selected through simple random sampling techniques in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja..

He said that the board selected five primary schools in each LGEA comprising two urban, two rural and one private school, adding that 20 pupils from primary five and six, as well as their teachers would participate in the programme.

“At this level, the samples are to consist of 216 LGEAs, 1,080 primary schools, 1,080 head teachers, 2,160 teachers, 43,200 pupils and 25,920 parents at the primary level; while at the junior secondary level, 17,280 students drawn from JSS two and three, 12,960 parents; 432 principals and 1,728‎ teachers will participate in the study.”

Bobboyi said the board would use eight instruments for data collection at the primary level and eight at the secondary level.

The UBEC boss listed these to include Achievement Test in English Studies, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology as well as Social Studies.

Others are Learners’ Questionnaire, Teachers’ Questionnaire, Head teachers’ Questionnaire and Parents’ Questionnaire.
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He assured that all state governments and stakeholders are being carried along in the exercise.

The commission boss disclosed that about 1,512 field officers would be involved in the test administration, comprising 400 UBEC staff, 216 State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) staff and 896 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.

He said that the commission would continue with the international standard of conducting the test every two years if resources are available.

“There are various exercises to be undertaken in the education sector because of its importance for planning in the country, we hope this exercise will give us the evidence to answer the question of whether these children are actually learning and look at the disparities in the different zones across the country.