SCHOOL COUNSELLOR AND PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION OF THE ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION (UBE) PROGRAMME

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Each year, about 130 million primary school-age children are denied access to education. Two-thirds of them are girls (UNICEF, 1999). More than 150 million children start primary school but drop out of school before they have completed five years of education (UNICEF, 1999). It is estimated that one in five individuals in the developing world will still be illiterate in 2010 (UNESCO, 1997). Less than two percent of children with disabilities in developing countries are included in formal education (Walkins, 2000).Education remains a social process in capacity building and maintenance of society. It could be seen as a weapon for acquiring skills, relevant knowledge and habits for survival in an ever changing world. Education seem to be identified as a dynamic instrument of change, hence developed countries and those aspiring to develop have adopted it as an instrument per excellence for effecting national development (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004). Education is a tool that enhances capacity building and is responsible for the maintenance of society for decades. It is a weapon for acquiring skills, relevant knowledge and habits for