Bayelsa Plans Re-Training Programmes For Teachers

All academic staff in public primary schools across  Bayelsa State are to be engaged in one week
intensive retraining exercise to enable them cope with the new vision the state
Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson has for the education sector.

The one week intensive programmes will be attended by both
teachers and headmasters.

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson who announced
this at a meeting with education stakeholders at Government House, Yenagoa
stated that only those who distinguished themselves at the end of the exercise
will be allowed to remain in the school system.

According to him, the exercise is part of Government’s plan
to make drastic changes in the education sector in line with its free and
compulsory education policy, stressing that teachers will henceforth be
regularly exposed to the basic rudiments and modern methods of teaching.

Governor Dickson disclosed that a total of 5,119 teachers
and 541 headmasters from public primary schools in the state are expected to be
trained, retrained and be tested on the skills acquired at the end of the
exercise.

He remarked that the Ministry of Education has been directed
in conjunction with the State Universal Basic Education Board, (SUBEB) to begin
the recruitment of three hundred science and ICT teachers to be deployed to all
primary and secondary schools in the State.

Commenting on the ratio of non-academic staff to academic
staff in the primary school system, which is 5,119 teachers to 4,287
non-academic staff, the governor described the situation as worrisome.

He, therefore directed an immediate downsizing of the
non-academic staff so as to free up funds for other essential needs.

According to him, the current steps have become necessary as
education occupies a central place in the policy thrust of the present
administration coupled with the need to make a crucial impact.