Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the perceived problems and prospects of Universal Basic Education UBE implementation in Junior Secondary Schools in Ezeagu Local Government Area Enugu State. This work has been structured in five chapters to make an ideal project. Chapter one, embodies the background of the study, which emphasized on education. It further show cases how the Nigerian Government desired to eradicate illiteracy in Nigeria lunched Universal Basic Education UBE. Besides, the statement of the problems, purpose of the study, scope of the study and research questions upon which this study is based, there are theories also associated to the study which are; human relation theory, the behavioural science theory and system theory; This implies that the government should see the essence of human factor, the management of the UBE, and that of the actualization of UBE objectives involves team work (system theory). The chapter two of this work, made an in-depth review of related literature, the chapter three covers the methodology with which the study is carried out. Questionnaire was used to elect the information from the respondents. In this regard, research design was chosen, area of study, population of the study, sample and sampling techniques, instrument for data collection and method of analysis. In chapter four, the presentation interpretation and analysis of data collected were analyzed. This is based on the description of data according to its relevance to a given research question. Also discussion and interpretation of results are carefully made. Chapter five which is the conclusion aspect of the work summarizes the points/ results of data findings, implication and recommendations that will see to the eective implementation of the Universal Basic Education UBE. Finally suggestion for further research was made.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Education is generally accepted to be the pivot on which the wheel of progress and development of any society rotates. Education is the process of changing the behavior pattern of people and it encompasses teaching and learning, specific skills and also less tangible things such as talking, feeling, and laughing. Education also encompasses the imparting of knowledge, positive judgment and well developed wisdom. Education has as one of its fundamental aspects the imparting of culture from generation to generation. There are today many definition of education, varying with educational philosophers’, scholars and students. However the following are some of the current definition given by scholars; Ukeje (1992) sees education as a process by which people are acclimatized to the culture into which they are born in order that they may advance it. Education means to draw out, facilitating realization of self-potential and latent talents of an individual. Khalleel (2000) holds the view that education prepares the individual for effective and efficient living within his/her community. Aliyu (1998) described education as a liberating factor on a person to fulfill his or her potential for the good of both the individual and the society. Education liberates one to reflect, and act upon the world with a view to changing it. Sani (1998) understood education as a catalyst, which paves the way for the realization of our people’s aspirations in all facets of life. According to Ogbonnaya (2002), education is the process by which people are acclimatized to the culture into which they are born in order that they may advance it. This definition is similar to the one presented by Onuoha in Ogbonnaya (2002) who defined education as a process by which the individual is enabled to develop his capabilities through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes both for his own benefit and for the benefit of the society. The above definitions of education suggest that education is the process of teaching or passing on the way of life of the people to the youths. It also implies that it is through education that one can develop his potentialities or capabilities for his own benefit and the benefit of the entire society in which he is born. Education is therefore the systematic process of developing the individual physically, mentally, spiritually and socially for his benefit and for the benefit of the society in which he lives. In a simplified matter, education refers to the process of teaching, training and learning especially in school and colleges. It leads to improvement of knowledge and development of skills.
The main purpose of education is therefore to develop the individual so that he can be useful to himself, his family and the society at large. Therefore education has been the priority of various government of Nigeria since independence in 1960.In the past four decades only the privileged citizens benefit from education but this condition continue to improve as civilians came and people became aware of the need for education with lunching of the Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 1976 as the first major national initiatives at universalization access to education and the publication of the National policy on education in (1977) (revised in 1981,1998 and 2004) and a greater sense of direction and purpose of educational activities at all levels of the education system were given (Fafunwa 2000) .
However education all over the world is geared towards socialization for members irrespective of age, gender, religion, social condition, geographical location and physical disabilities. The National Policy on Education was developed to eradicate illiteracy at all levels of human existence and provide affordable education for all Nigerians irrespective of class, religion, ethnic origin of physical appearance. The policy was driven by a desire to eradicate poverty, increase indices of national policy, increase political consciousness and encourage issues of national interpretation. In pursuance of the above mentioned objective of the National Policy, the federal government under the federal ministry of education have from time to time introduced different educational reform programme with the hope of realizing its objectives. One of such programme for educational reform is the Universal Basic Education (UBE).The UBE was formulated to be the bed rock of lifelong learning that will impact reading, writing and the acquisition of the other relevant skills for sustenance and development. The Nigerian government in a desire to eradicate illiteracy in Nigeria lunched UBE during the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo on 30th September 1999 in Sokoto, the programme is design to cover the six years of primary school and three years of junior secondary school. The UBE was launched to actualize the many international education covenants to which Nigeria is a signatory. Among these, is the World Conference on Education for All (WCEFA) Jomitien, Thailand, 1990.The UBE which is a response to the Jemitien declaration on education for all, according to Eya (2000), has the following as its objectives:
