RSUBEB Moves To Increase Enrolment Of Students, Pupils In Public Schools

Towards increasing enrolment of school pupils and students in primary and junior secondary schools in the state, the management of Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB) has reactivated its School-Based Management Committee – School Implementation Programme (SBMC-SIP) with a resolve to adopt community-based stakeholders’ approach in the management of public schools across the state.
The Executive Chairman of the RSUBEB, Ven Fyneface Akah, stated this while declaring open a one-day programme for the stakeholders sensitization meeting on the implementation of the 2019 SBMC-SIP held at SUBEB new administrative conference room in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The chairman, who was represented on the occasion by the Commissioner in-charge of Services, Hon Precious Barido, said the essence of the one-day programme was to revive the operations of the SBMC in the management of the junior and primary schools through community-based participation and involvement approach.
According to him, when communities are involved in the management of schools in their areas, there would be increase in students and pupils’ enrolment, adding that there would be increase in grassroots mobilization, sensitisation and enlightenment.
The RSUBEB boss averred that the SBMC-SIP, which is a combination of community-based stakeholders in the management of schools, has among other responsibilities, to ensure the running of the schools in their communities; promote advocacy for increased enrolment in the school environment; encourage out-of-school children to return to school; and promote girl-child education, among others.
Akah charged the participants, who were drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, to go back home and ensure that communities in their areas were involved in the management of schools as well as provide healthy partnerships between the schools and the communities.
Also speaking, the Principal Social Mobilization Officer, UBEC Abuja, Mrs. Abive Okwah, said the SBMC programme has been in existence for years, adding that the state has been on the lead across the country.
She said the essence of it was to get community participation in the school management, saying that the school was owned by the community before SUBEB and government came in.
“Schools are not owned by government but by the community, and the community built schools and donated land for the establishment of the schools, and handed them over to government. What we are doing here is to cascade information from Abuja to let them know what to do about the SBMC and community partnership in the management of schools”, she stated.
In his speech, the UBEC representative in the state, Mr. Ichenwo Isaac, commended the organizers of the programme, saying that the headmasters and principals of government-owned primary and secondary schools have alienated the various communities in the management of schools.
He stated that the HMs and junior secondary school principals have failed to understand that schools originally were owned by the communities and not government, adding that the programme would provide the needed synergy between the communities and school authorities.
“The principals and headmasters have made the schools their personal empire which they colonize”.
In his welcome address, the Director, Social Mobilization, Mr. Ogwe Ibe Adirah, disclosed that the objectives of the programne include, among others, to inform stakeholders on the concept and specific activities under the 2019 SBMC-SIP implementation management, such as eligibility, selection and verification process of proposed beneficiary schools, and creation of awareness on the need for equity in the selection process.