School counsellors’ roles in the implementation of universal basic education [UBE] scheme in Nigeria

The Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme, which came into existence in September 1999, was lauded by the Federal Government of Nigeria as a preferred programme of Nigeria’s basic education service. It is expected to provide full and compulsory education from primary one all through to junior secondary school 3 (that is nine years of compulsory schooling). This paper discussed ways in which Universal Basic Education (UBE) could be successfully implemented in order to attain national integration and development. The review of relevant literature shows that lack of resources and political manipulation of programmes are the two critical problems that could hamper a successful implementation of UBE. To get the dividends of Education For All (EFA) by 2015, we need the services of school counsellors in order to be able to implement the UBE programmes successfully. The paper thus recommended that the three-tiers of government local, state, and federal must utilise the services of school counsellors in order to successfully implement the scheme in Nigeria.