In a renewed drive to restore academic excellence and improve infrastructure in public primary schools across Delta State, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has inaugurated a seven-member State Executive Committee of the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC).
The inauguration ceremony, which took place on Tuesday at the SUBEB headquarters in Asaba, was presided over by the Executive Chairman of the Board, Hon. Chief Samuel Oghenevwogaga Mariere.
The newly inaugurated State Executive Committee is chaired by Chief Sunday Okpare Avenuevurhasue, with Hillary Chukwudi Ofuani serving as State Secretary and Oghale Ezekiel Ohore as State Treasurer.
The Director of Social Mobilization at SUBEB, Mr. Felix Egwujovwo, was appointed as the supervising officer. Other members include Beatrice E. E. Okoro (NUT), Emmanuel EtaOghene (AOPSHON), and Oliver Ogheneovo Isiayei (SUBEB Desk Officer).
In his address, Hon. Mariere described the SBMC as a critical initiative aimed at revitalizing public schools through enhanced community involvement. He emphasized that the SBMC is a national project of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), designed to transfer the ownership, care, and protection of public basic education schools back to local communities.
According to the SUBEB Chairman, the overarching goals are to deliver quality education, reduce the number of out-of-school children, and safeguard school infrastructure from vandalism and neglect.
“This is the inauguration of the State Executive of the School-Based Management Committee. Local Government-level Committees will be inaugurated subsequently.
“The State Executive is expected to ensure that by the end of the year, every public primary school in the state has a functioning SBMC,” Mariere stated.
He reiterated that the committee’s mandate includes fostering academic excellence, driving infrastructure development, and ensuring community participation in the management of public schools.
Flanked by SUBEB board members—Hon. Chukwuemeka Uwadia, Hon. Onome Akpoherhe, and Hon. Josephine Edheren, as well as the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Byron Unini, and Special Assistant to the Chairman, Justice Iyasere, Mariere charged the SBMC members to approach their responsibilities with utmost professionalism and dedication.
“This committee was carefully selected to advance the educational vision of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori. You are expected to work with school authorities to manage resources, maintain discipline, champion infrastructural renewal, and bring public schools back to the era when they were the preferred choice of parents, long before the proliferation of private schools with questionable standards,” he added.
Mariere further assured the committee of SUBEB’s unwavering support, noting that the board is fully committed to providing the enabling environment for them to succeed, as long as they remain focused and result-driven.
In his response, the newly inaugurated SBMC State Chairman, Chief Sunday Okpare, expressed gratitude to the board for the confidence reposed in them. He pledged that the committee would work diligently to fulfill its mandate.
“We will ensure that the SBMC structures are inaugurated in all public primary schools across the state before the end of the year, in line with the directive of the Executive Chairman,” Okpare assured.
The SBMC initiative is expected to foster stronger community ownership and involvement in the basic education sector, serving as a catalyst for improved teaching, learning, and infrastructure across Delta State’s public schools.
