PR Heads Chart New Path for Basic Education at UBEC Training

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) on Monday commenced a two-day capacity-building workshop for Heads of Public Relations and Protocols of the 36 State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and the FCT, with a strong charge to reposition communication as a strategic tool for education reform.

Declaring the programme open at the UBEC Digital Resource Centre, Kado Kuchi, Abuja, the UBEC Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Mr. Razaq Olajuwon Akinyemi—representing the Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba—unveiled the theme: “Strengthening Strategic Communication for Effective Basic Education Delivery.”

He urged PR managers to see themselves as both “gatekeepers and narrative shapers,” bridging government policies with public understanding, and amplifying UBEC’s renewed commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Education.

Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hajia Zainab Abubakar, commended the impressive turnout and called on participants to deploy insights from the training to transform communication practices across states.

Goodwill messages added weight to the opening ceremony, with Mr. Richard Jonah, Coordinator of the Forum, hailing the programme as timely and applauding UBEC for upgrading its PR Unit into a full-fledged department and prayed that same should be replicated at SUBEBs.

Technical sessions formed the core of the training, where experts dissected critical areas including branding, social media strategy, communication alignment, crisis management, and modern PR skills.

Mr. Yusuf Bala Ibrahim emphasized the double-edged power of social media, outlining strategies for digital engagement and brand building.

Prof. Peter Oyeneye, Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), delivered two papers highlighting communication alignment, global best practices, and the need for continuous skills upgrading.

Alhaji Muhammed Kudu Abubakar, Senior Lecturer at Cosmopolitan University, Abuja, presented two papers on stakeholder engagement and effective dissemination of education services. He stressed the dangers of false information—rumors, gossip, hearsay, and stale data—warning that such distortions must never find a place in the education system.

Participants also engaged in interactive sessions, sharing experiences and challenges from their states, while networking during breaks provided further opportunities for collaboration.

A communiqué committee, drawn from the six geopolitical zones, was inaugurated to document outcomes and chart a roadmap for stronger communication synergy in the basic education sector.

Patience Ossai sent this piece from Abuja.

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