The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has called on public relations and information officers to adopt innovative communication strategies to showcase government interventions in basic education. This appeal was made at UBEC's 12th Annual Training Workshop for public relations and information officers in Keffi, Nasarawa State. The workshop brought together communication officers from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Dr. Aisha Garba, Executive Secretary of UBEC, emphasized that effective communication is crucial for educational development. She noted that despite progress in school infrastructure, teacher professional development, and digital learning initiatives, the impact of these investments could be undermined if stakeholders and the public were not adequately informed. Garba described public relations officers as key players in translating education policies into compelling stories of impact.
The workshop aimed to improve participants' skills in advocacy, media relations, stakeholder engagement, and digital communication. Garba challenged the officers to move beyond routine publicity by documenting success stories from schools and communities. She encouraged them to adopt innovation, professionalism, and proactive engagement, particularly in the face of digital media and misinformation.
The officers were urged to deploy modern communication formats, including short documentaries, human-interest stories, and infographics, to make their messages more engaging and accessible. Mrs. Kemi Abass, Acting Head of Corporate Communications at UBEC, emphasized the need for closer collaboration between UBEC and SUBEB communication units to promote timely information sharing and coordinated messaging.
The Special Adviser to the Minister of Education on Media and Communications, Mr. Ikharo Attah, underscored the importance of timely and effective communication in showcasing government achievements in basic education. He reaffirmed the Minister's commitment to transforming the education sector and encouraged public relations officers to consistently tell the stories behind government interventions.
Mr. Richard Nanpon Jonah, Dean of UBEC/SUBEB Public Relations Officers, called for dedicated budgetary allocations for public relations activities across SUBEBs. He believed that adequate funding would enable communication officers to effectively document and publicize the impact of interventions in their respective states.
The training workshop is part of UBEC's efforts to strengthen communication capacity, improve inter-agency collaboration, and expand public understanding of efforts to deliver quality basic education. The commission is considering introducing a regular UBEC publicity bulletin and a coordinated national digital campaign to increase awareness of basic education interventions.
Key points
- UBEC trains public relations officers to enhance communication of government interventions in basic education.
- Effective communication is crucial for educational development and showcasing government achievements.
- Public relations officers are encouraged to adopt innovative communication strategies and modern formats to engage the public.
