ABSTRACT
Education in Nigeria has been on concurrent list since 1951, but up to now the country has no coherent ideology that constitutes the corner stone of its educational programme. Therefore, no practical basis on which the foundation of education could be laid, developed and utilized as a vehicle for political socialization and economic progress. To worsen the problem, the management of Basic Education Programme at all levels has been in the control of political appointees, both in the military and civilian administration since 1989. All the top office holders who have the power to execute UBE programmes right from the local government up to the Federal Government level are seasoned politicians who are appointed for compensation of their political contribution to the so- called „election? in a democratic era or support in a dictatorship regime (military).This study examined the effect of politics on the Management of UBE programme in Nigeria. It opened up with a general overview of the topic, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions and hypotheses, basic assumptions and significance of the study. The scope and delimitation of the study were also specified. A review of related and relevant literatures centering on the concepts and manifestation of the effect of politics on the management of UBE programme in Nigeria was provided. This was intended to provide theoretical base and knowledge to be used for the study. Ex-post-facto method was used for this study, covering the six (6) Geo-political zones in Nigeria and the FCT. The population of the study involved 214 Principals, 370 teachers, 126 PTA officials, 120 SUBEB administrators, 120 MOE officials, 10 FMOE and 10 UBEC officials totaling 1210 respondents. Systematic random sampling technique was used in selecting these samples, out of which 194 Principals, 217 LGEA Administrators, 114 SUBEB officials, 114 MOE officials, 348 Teachers, 120 PTA Officials, 9 UBEC Administrators and 10 FMOE Administrators returned their completed copies of questionnaires, out of 1210 administered on the basis of which the analysis was made. The instrument used for this study was structured questionnaire based on five (5) points like scales, whose validity and reliability were obtained through the aid of experts in statistics, research supervisors and pilot.The opinions of the respondentswere analysed using descriptive analysis and statistical tools such include T-tests and ANOVA. All the seven hypothesizes were retained. It was discovered that all the three stakeholders used in this study have accepted the fact that politics was a barrier to the successful implementation of UBE programme in Nigeria. Finally, the study recommended that Government should stop politicizing the top leadership of the SUBEBs and LGEAs which are the UBE implementation levels in Nigeria and other political interference on the UBE programme. Career educationists who are capable and committed should be appointed to head UBE agencies.