The National Teachers Institute (NTI), recently commenced training for 100 government secondary schools teachers in Kogi State under the aegis of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) project.
According to a source, the five­-day workshop was organised by the institute in collaboration with the Kogi State Government.
The Director-General of the institute, Prof. Garba Azare, at the opening ceremony of the workshop said that the training would enhance participant’s knowledge in Language Communication Skills.
Azare added that the training would also improve the teachers in Basic Classroom Teaching Methods and Techniques, Effective Management Skills, Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
He noted that the participants would be trained in Academic Leadership, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SENDs), HIV/AIDS Awareness and Digital Literacy.
Azare, who was represented by Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim, the Principal Accountant of the institute, said that Nigerian teachers deserve all the encouragement to enable them performe optimally on the job.
He said that the teachers should also be encouraged to undergo regular retraining programmes that would equip them with the current best practices around the globe, as they deserve improved remuneration.
According to him, sponsoring teachers to participate in capacity building programmes such as this, will enhance their cutting edge as professional classroom teachers.
The director-general, however, appealed to relevant stakeholders to ensure timely release of funds meant for the purpose of organising retraining programmes.
Azare also urged State Governors to help the institute by partnering with NTI at affordable costs to train teachers.
The State’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, congratulated the participants for being part of the first 100 teachers that would be trained in Kogi State as master trainers.
Osikoya urged them to ensure they utilise the golden opportunity to improve their skills and knowledge on the job, stressing the need for the teachers to add professional value to themselves.
According to her, Kogi State has about 24, 000 teachers and only 100 are being trained in the first phase.
“There is the need for teachers to be skilled, competent, trained and motivated’’.
The commissioner thanked the Federal Government for the support, and commended the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for making education a topmost priority among the five thematic areas of his administration.