Fidelity Of Implementation And Efficacy Of Universal Basic Education Programme In Kwara State

ABSTRACT

This study examined the fidelity of implementation and eficcacy of Universal Basic Education (UBE) Programme in Kwara State. It investigated the gap between policy formulation and policy implementation in the UBE programme. The belief by various stakeholders in education that the huge investments made in the UBE programme had not been correspondingly compensated for by improved efficiency in basic education classes precipitated this study. A descriptive survey research design was used. The population for the study comprised all the 997 public primary schools and 225 junior secondary schools in mine Local Government Education Authorities (LGEA) in Kwara State. Also included in the population were 47 nomadic education centres and 235 adult literacy education centres. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select samples for the study. The sample consisted of 76 primary schools, 33 junior secondary schools, 25 nomadic education centres and 25 adult literacy education centres. The respondents for the study consisted of 76 primary school head teachers, 228 primary school teachers, 33 principals, 165 junior secondary school teachers, 25 nomadic education facilitators, 25 adult literacy education facilitators and 20 staff of Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board. Three instruments were used to collect data namely: (1) Head Teacher Management skills and Efficacy of UBE Questionnaire (HMSEUOR () Teachers' Self report Checklists (TSC); and (3) Programme Monitoring and Efficacy of UBE Programme Questionnaire (PMEUPO. A correlation coefficient of 93 was obtained for HMSEUQ.9 for TSC and.91 for PMUEP. These were considered high and acceptable. Eight research questions and eight hypotheses guided the study, all the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and t-test for Independent Sample. The study found that: (1) teachers' quality of delivery in the UBE programme was dependent on the quality of post qualification trainings they receive; (2) the efficacy of UBE programme was a function of the adequacy of facilities in UBE schools: (3) head teacher's management skills and the efficacy of UBE programme were not significantly related; (4) monitoring and supervision of UBE programme was significantly related to the efficacy of UBE programme; (5) availability of library/information resource centres was significantly related to the efficiency of UBE Programme (6) the inclusion of penalty for non- compliance with the UBE policy in the UBE Act had a positive influence on the level of enrolment in The UBE classes; and (7) there was a significant difference in the implementation of URE programme