| The goal of Universal Basic Education (UBE) launched by the federal republic of Nigeria in 1999 for the purpose of Education for All by the year 2015 is in doubt. A large body of literature has identified the challenges to its successful realization, namely: poor funding, infrastructure availability, technology resources, lack of teachers, lack of continued education and professional development of teachers, administrative and management problems etc (Hinchliffe (2002), Aduawa-Ogieghan, (2006), Okecha (2008), Rankin & Aytac, (2006), UNESCO (2004), Ayo (2002), Olaniyan & Olabanji (2008).;This study was designed to inquire whether financial support for teacher initial education and continued education can enhance the successful implementation of Universal Basic Education in Imo State of Nigeria. It inquires the level of teacher preparedness for their job and whether state funding of teacher education could help the production of qualified teachers for UBE in Imo State of Nigeria. The ultimate goal is to seek to identify the best practice for planning, policy and future research;The population for the study is primary school teachers in Imo State who teach primary 1--6, from which a sample of 158 emerged. A 30-item questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistical and reported frequencies, percentages, means, analysis of variance and Post Hoc.;Three research questions guided the researcher in this study. The significant findings of this research revealed that teachers in Imo state feel adequately prepared for their profession. It showed that teachers are unable to finance their initial and continuing education without the help of parents and family. The data also suggests that state funding of teacher education will positively affect UBE in Imo State. In other words, the funding teacher education could be a catalyst for achieving UBE in Imo State of Nigeria. |
