Leadership and Administrative Skills for Optimal Universal Basic Education Delivery in Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria, the Universal Basic Education (UBE) is the foundation of the education system. The implication of this is that the overall success or otherwise of the educational system delivery will depend, to a large extent, on the functionality of the basic education scheme. The rationale for this paper is based on the fact that the Education for All (EFA) target by 2015 and a cardinal objective of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) is for member countries to provide functional basic education to their citizenry. This paper therefore examines the leadership and administrative aspects which are quite crucial to the successful implementation of the scheme. The author discusses the main issues of leadership and administration, and makes a case for the possession and utilization of these skills by the head teachers for quality management of the UBE programme in the country.

Key words: Leadership, Administration, Administrative skills and Universal Basic Education