Chinwe Obaji

Chinwe Obaji is a higher education lecturer, teacher and education administrator who was appointed to head Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Education in June 2005 as Senior Minister, and was succeeded a year later by Obiageli Ezekwesili.[1]

Chinwe Obaji
Federal Minister of Education
In office
June 2005 – June 2006
Preceded byFabian Osuji
Succeeded byObiageli Ezekwesili
Personal details
Political partyPeople's Democratic Party (PDP)

Background

Chinwe Obaji was born in Ezinihitte-Mbaise in Imo State. From 1980 she was a lecturer and administrator at Michael Okpara College of Agriculture, Umuagwo, Imo State in Nigeria.[2]

Ministerial position

Chinwe Obaji was the first female education Minister in Nigeria.[3] As the Education Minister, she made efforts to resuscitate the Inspectorate Division of the Federal Ministry of Education.[4] She started the one-meal-a-day project in some pilot primary schools across the country.[1]

She directed that Universities should administer the Post University Matriculation Examination to candidate students in an effort by bypass the inefficiency of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Notably, in support of her directive.[5][6]

However, there was controversy over the fees charged by universities for the test.[7] In an October 2005 meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, it was unanimously agreed to peg the test fee at N1,000.[8] Answering questions in the House of Representative in November 2005, Chinwe Obaji said that any university that collected more than N1,000 from candidates seeking admission after the post JAMB screening had done so in violation of her directive.[9] The House of Representations later cancelled the directive.[10]

In April 2006, Chinwe Obaji detailed reforms to the design of the basic education system to ensure that every Nigerian child at least has access to basic education. The government set up a system of reprimanding parents who do not register their children for school, and started to recruit 40,000 teachers for rural communities.[11] She stated that the Universal Basic Education (UBE) program aimed at enhancing "unhindered access to quality basic education to the children, especially to the girl-child".[12]

Subsequent positions

Dr Chinwe Obaji was appointed Professor of International Education at the Voorhees College in the USA starting in 2007.[13]

References
  1. Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi (May 28, 2009). "Education: 10 ministers, 10 years of democracy". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 24, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  2. Vanguard (April 15, 2005). "Nigeria: School Erupts in Celebration At Nomination of Lecturer As Minister". Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  3. Team, N. N. L. "Interview With Prof Chinwe Obaji: WHY SOME NIGERIANS ARE HOSTILE TO BUHARI.....Prof Obaji". nigeriannewsleader.com. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  4. "Policymakers and implementa-tion killing education sector — Obaji, Nwaobiala". Vanguard News. 2017-11-22. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  5. "Confusion prevails over post-matric exam announcement". University World News. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  6. III, Editorial (2019-07-09). "Proliferation of universities reduces quality – Prof Obaji". Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  7. Odimegwu Onwumere (June 27, 2009). "Amaechi & The Open Fraud Called "Post-UME" Test". Modern Ghana News. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  8. Emmanuel Edukugho (October 27, 2005). "As varsities win screening battle, Education minister says it's a unanimous decision". Vanguard. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  9. Donald Andoor (November 15, 2005). "Post Jamb Test: Fees Beyond N1,000 Illegal - Minister". This Day. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  10. Atâyi-Babs Ezekiel Opaluwah (February 3, 2006). "CHINWE OBAJI'S LEGACY". NigeriaWorld. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  11. "Universal Basic Education System Altered". Vanguard. April 27, 2006. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  12. Sr. Patricia EBEGBULEM (August 2006). "People on the Move: MIGRATION AND PROSTITUTION AMONG WOMEN FROM COUNTRIES OF ISLAMIC MAJORITY". Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  13. Efem Nkanga (01/10/2007). "Obaji Preaches IT Education in Nigerian Universities". This Day. Retrieved 2009-10-12. Check date values in: |date= (help)


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