By AMANDA EZE

Education Is Delta’s Biggest Industry, Onyeme Says as UBEC Praises State’s Reforms

DELTA State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, has described education as the state’s biggest industry, stressing the government’s commitment to expanding access and improving learning standards.

Onyeme spoke in Asaba while receiving the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Ayesha Garba, and members of her management team.

Delta Positions Education as Core Investment

The deputy governor said Delta had continued to invest heavily in education because of its importance to the state’s development.

He welcomed UBEC’s decision to hold its 30th Quarterly Management Meeting in Asaba.

Onyeme said the choice reflected the commission’s positive assessment of Delta’s performance in technology, infrastructure, access to education funds and resource utilisation.

He assured the delegation that the state would continue working to make quality education available to more citizens.

“We want to assure you that Delta State will continue to improve our standards of education,” he said.

A State That ‘Exports’ Teachers

Onyeme also highlighted the contribution of Deltans to education beyond the state.

He said teachers from Delta could be found across Nigeria and in different parts of the world.

According to him, Deltans have contributed to education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

That contribution, he said, reinforced the government’s view of education as a major industry and a key part of Delta’s human capital development.

2025 Programme Nears Completion

The deputy governor disclosed that Delta had implemented about 90 per cent of its 2025 education programme.

He also said the state had already paid its 2026 matching grant.

Onyeme expressed optimism that the funding would deepen cooperation between Delta and UBEC and support further development across the education sector.

Technology Drives Teacher Accountability

UBEC Executive Secretary Garba praised Delta for using technology to address challenges in basic education.

She singled out the Attend 360 platform, which uses technology to monitor teacher attendance and strengthen accountability.

Garba said infrastructure alone could not guarantee quality education.

“You can build as many schools as you want, but as long as there is no teacher, good teacher, in the classroom, learning would not take place,” she said.

Her position places teacher quality and classroom presence at the centre of Delta’s education strategy.

Traditional Institution Backs Inclusive Education

The Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, also urged stakeholders to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to basic education.

Azinge made the call when the UBEC delegation and Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards visited his palace in Asaba.

The monarch said no child should be excluded from basic education for any reason.

The Foundation Begins at Basic School

Azinge stressed that basic and secondary education provide the foundation for future professional development.

Drawing from his experience as a university law teacher, he noted that students should acquire fundamental language and communication skills before entering higher education.

He argued that universities should build on those foundations rather than correct basic deficiencies in grammar and communication.

The monarch therefore urged authorities to pay particular attention to the quality of teachers deployed to primary schools.

“If you have quality teachers you produce quality pupils,” he said.

Asaba’s Long Educational Tradition

Azinge also traced Asaba’s educational development to its early contact with Christian missionaries nearly 170 years ago.

He said that early exposure to formal education gave the community a head start in learning and professional development.

According to him, Asaba now has several generations of professors and professionals across fields including medicine, law and engineering.

He described education as an industry deeply valued by the people of Asaba.

UBEC Calls for Sustained Funding

Garba commended Delta for consistently accessing the UBE Matching Grant.

She urged the state to sustain the momentum and ensure that available intervention funds translate into measurable improvements in schools.

She also highlighted the HOPE-EDU programme, a World Bank-supported initiative worth more than $500 million.

The programme seeks to improve education financing and strengthen foundational learning.

Garba explained that states must meet specific requirements to participate, including accessing their 2026 UBE Matching Grant and implementing at least 50 per cent of their approved 2025 Basic Education Action Plan.

From Investment to Learning Outcomes

The convergence of the state government, UBEC and the traditional institution places greater emphasis on the quality of education rather than infrastructure alone.

Funding, technology, teacher attendance, teacher quality and inclusive access all remain central to that objective.

For Delta, the challenge now lies in turning sustained investment into stronger learning outcomes and ensuring that children across the state benefit from the reforms.