In a bid to tackle the challenge of low learning achievements in basic education and improve the quality of the products, the Federal Government under the Universal Basic Education Commission(UBEC) has trained 56 Master Trainers for its newly initiated Effective Schools Programme (ESP).
Making this assertion was the executive secretary of the commission, Dr Hamid Boboyi in Ibadan, at a five-day training with the theme ‘Training of Master Trainers’ organised for 56 Master Trainers drawn from the South-Southern zone of Nigeria, including Kogi and Kwara states.
Speaking further, he said, training of Master Trainers which took place on Monday, July 22 to Friday 26 is one of the activities in the implementation of the ESP which will culminate to cascading the training to the other teachers in the 111 schools.
He said there are three UBE Effective Schools per senatorial zones and three in FCT selected as pilot for the programme.
“From what we have now, nothing prevents any state from starting the training immediately after we finish this particular master training that we are engaging now. I hope that each state will take full ownership of cascading to other teachers. However, we will support quite alright where necessary,” he said.
According to the UBEC boss, the ESP is borne out of the desire of the commission to make all schools meet the minimum standards for basic education schools and to also improve learning outcomes.
“Over the years, statistics have shown that the structures in many of our schools in the sector are dilapidated, overcrowded and the capacity of the teachers needs to be enhanced. Schools are supposed to be child friendly and the teachers in them up to date in skills and content knowledge. This is however not what exists,” he said.
Stating that the overall goal of ESP is to upgrade schools to a level conducive for effective teaching and learning, he also noted that through it, human and material resources would be deployed to schools to address inadequacies like overcrowded schools, inadequate supply of furniture and instructional materials, teacher low capacity and weak school governance.
He hinted that UBEC has achieved ESP in 111 schools, noting that there are three per senatorial zones and three in FCT had been selected as pilot for the programme.
“To this end, the Commission has established 37 Smart Schools, one in each state and FCT, with some already operational. A Digital Resource Centre (DRC) has been built and commissioned with digital contents and other e-resources as a training and innovation centre for teachers in areas such as content development, robotic and AI training.
“The schools have been equipped with ICT equipment with alternative power supply to enable technology-supported teaching and learning. Teacher interns to serve as support teachers in the introduction of technology in the classrooms have also been deployed to the schools,” he added.
He charged the 56 Master Trainers that “the commission is counting on your expertise to effectively deliver these roles. The training should make you teachers who will sustain the future and make other teachers proud of themselves.”
He called on the states and FCT UBE boards, who are the owners of the schools and the teachers, to join hands with the commission to ensure that the resources being deployed into this initiative are effectively managed for improved learning outcomes.
He promised that the commission will make its e-learning centres more effective and functional than before to ensure that the learners can function, using the modern gadgetry that is available as far as smart education is concerned and be fully prepared to face the future as far as technology is concerned.
In his remarks at the event, the Oyo State chairman of SUBEB, Dr Nureni Adeniran acknowledged the support of UBEC for starting up ES with e-learning centres across three senatorial districts, noting that the board under his supervision has keyed into the smart school system initiated by the national board.
He said: “Any school that wants to be in line with global best practices must key into this programme.”
I want to assure you that Oyo State is not going to be an exception. Oyo SUBEB is currently recruiting, with the aim to employ 7,000 primary school teachers who are technology savvy.”
Director of teacher development at UBEC, Mr Olumayowa Aleshin, said the UBE ESP represents a substantial investment in the future of Nigeria’s educational system.
He noted that the commission has decided to use the strategy of cascading because it was impossible to bring all the teachers in the south-south states together for the training, noting that in the long run it is going to be a school-based training.
He said the aim of ESP is “to actualise the minimum standard; ensure that the dilapidated structures are renovated and the teacher/pupil ratio is appropriate as well as to ensure that all the teachers are also trained.”
