Benue SUBEB Chairman, Dr. Grace Adagba Flags Off National Learning Assessment, Urges Credible Data Collection

By Genesis Ogiri

MAKURDI, BENUE STATE — The Executive Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Grace Adagba, has officially flagged off the 2026 National Learning Assessment (NLA) in Benue State, describing the exercise as a critical step toward strengthening evidence-based educational planning and improving learning outcomes across the state.

The exercise commenced on Monday with the training of assessors at the Benue SUBEB headquarters in Makurdi, in line with the declaration of National Learning Assessment Week, scheduled for June 29 to July 5, 2026, by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. The assessment is being implemented through a collaborative effort involving the Federal Ministry of Education, the World Bank, UBEC, and UNICEF.

Addressing participants during the training,

 

Dr. Adagba said the National Learning Assessment represents a strategic intervention designed to generate credible data on learners' academic performance, providing policymakers with reliable information for improving the quality of basic education across the country.

She explained that Benue State had successfully participated in a pilot phase of the assessment conducted in May 2026 across three Local Government Areas, adding that the full-scale exercise will now be carried out in 11 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) across the state.

According to the SUBEB Chairman, the assessment comes at a significant period in Benue's education sector following the recruitment of more than 9,000 teachers by the administration of Governor Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia. She noted that the outcome of the assessment will help government evaluate the impact of ongoing reforms, identify learning gaps, measure pupils' progress, and develop targeted interventions aimed at enhancing classroom instruction.

Dr. Adagba urged all assessors to discharge their responsibilities with professionalism, objectivity, and integrity, emphasizing that the credibility of the exercise depends largely on the quality and accuracy of the data collected during the assessment.

Also speaking, the National Learning Assessment Team Lead from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Headquarters, Dr. Phoebe Veronica Jatau, formally declared the commencement of the exercise in Benue State. She explained that the National Learning Assessment is a harmonized framework resulting from the merger of the National Monitoring of Learning Achievement (NMLA) and the National Assessment on Learning Achievement in Basic Education (NALABE).

Dr. Jatau disclosed that the assessment will cover learners in Basic 3, Basic 5, Basic 9, and Senior Secondary School Two (SSS II) in both public and private schools across participating states. She stressed that transparency, accuracy, and strict adherence to assessment guidelines remain indispensable for producing reliable data capable of informing national education policies and strategic planning.

The training attracted principals,

 

head teachers, quality assurance officers, SUBEB board members, and representatives of both the Federal and Benue State Ministries of Education drawn from the 11 participating Local Government Education Authorities. Stakeholders expressed optimism that the exercise would provide a comprehensive picture of learning achievements while supporting ongoing efforts to improve educational standards and accountability within Nigeria's basic education system.