By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has hosted a high-level coordination meeting ahead of the pilot phase of the National Learning Assessment (NLA), set to take place in selected schools across the state.

The meeting, held at the Board’s headquarters in Makurdi, brought together key stakeholders to fine-tune preparations for the exercise.

According to the Special Assistant to the Executive Chairman on Corporate Communications and Community Engagements, Msughter Ataigbough, the assessment is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education in partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and UNICEF.

Ataigbough disclosed that the pilot would be conducted in Makurdi, Otukpo, and Okpokwu Local Government Areas, LGAs, covering both public and private schools.

Declaring the meeting open, the Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr. Margaret Adamu, underscored the importance of the initiative, noting that assessments like the NLA provide measurable insight into the performance of the education system.

She described Benue’s selection as a pilot state from the North Central Zone as a significant responsibility.

“Benue’s selection is an opportunity to further demonstrate responsibility and commitment to ensuring that education remains a top priority in the state,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of a 30-member delegation, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at UBEC, Ada Ogwuche, explained that the NLA was designed to track and enhance the quality of education at all levels of governance.

“Learning assessments serve as a systematic way of measuring what learners know, understand, and are able to do, in order to determine the extent to which learning has taken place,” Ogwuche stated.

In her remarks, the Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB, Dr. Grace Adagba, expressed confidence in the state’s preparedness for the exercise.

“Basic schools in the state are safe and ready enough for the exercise,” she affirmed, reiterating the Board’s commitment to supporting initiatives that improve learning outcomes and strengthen the overall quality of basic education in Benue State.