The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Edo State Chapter, has commended the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in the State for what it called its proactive stance on teachers’ professional development.
The State Chairman of the union, Mr Bernard Ajobiewe, made the commendation in Benin at the training and induction of 1,445 teachers, principals and head teachers into the EdoBEST 2.0 Education Reform programme of the State.
The Tide’s source reports that the teachers drawn from the 18 Local Government Areas of the State, converged in Benin on a 10-day intensive training on pedagogy in line with the education reform agenda of the Obaseki administration.
Ajobiewe said teachers produced under the EdoBEST 2.0 would bring better learning outcomes to pupils in the State.
“I must say that I am impressed that I was part of the maiden EdoBEST induction training as a volunteer in 2018.
“In 2019, I participated fully in the training and it was so impactful.
“I must appreciate the Edo State Government and the Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), Mrs Ozavize Salami, for this laudable initiative,” he said.
Ajobiewe noted that the internet gadget distributed to the teachers would help them to adapt to the evolving educational technology of the world.
“The teacher-tablet helped to train the teachers on the use of technology in impacting knowledge to the learners and students.
“Formally, teachers write lesson notes and deliver lessons manually in the classrooms, but that era is a thing of the past and this is so imperative.
“Children in the rural areas can now read and compete with pupils in the urban settlement and that gives me joy,” he said.
The NUT Chairman also lauded the State Government for employing 3,000 teachers under the Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Results (EdoSTAR) teaching fellowship, to close the learning gap in the school system.
He, however, called on the Governor to absorb the teacher volunteers into the civil service.
He also urged the Governor to put structures in place that would sustain the programme when he left office.
The Tide’s source reports that the 10-day training was to prepare teachers and school heads for the full implementation of EdoBEST reform in the new academic session that started last Monday.
The training handled new school and classroom management techniques, modern teaching practices, safeguarding and child protection strategies as well as emerging best practices in school administration.