Abstract

This paper examined the need for enhancing school effectiveness in the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme in Nigeria. In the Nigerian context, the basic education covers primary, junior secondary and non-formal education and literacy aim at equipping recipients with appropriate attitudes, skills and knowledge. The paper highlighted some crucial issues that could affect school effectiveness in the UBE programme in Nigeria. The issues among others raised include funding gap, data gap, quality assurance and HIV/AIDS pandemic. The paper revealed implications for theory and practice in form of funding, curricular and policy implication. As a way forward, some of the recommendation stated that; the three tiers of government of the federation should workout appropriate cost-sharing arrangements, also the federal government should recognize the United Nation recommendation of 26% annual budget allocation to education. Quality Assurance should be built into the UBE design and implementation process. Also the ministries of education should create Education Data Bank to generate, analyze and bank the data. Keywords: School effectiveness, Basic education, Issues, Implications, Nigeria.