By Elizabeth Osayande

STREET-to-School Initiative, a United States Government exchange alumnae-led organisation, in collaboration with the US Consulate-General, has launched Re-imagining EducationX 2021: The Teacher on the Move.

Through this teacher capacity-building workshop, 300 high school teachers from Lagos, Rivers and Enugu states will acquire skills in effective virtual classroom pedagogy, best practices in curriculum development, lesson planning, and innovative 21st Century student-centered teaching methods.

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This initiative also aims to strengthen digital literacy skills of the participating teachers to enable them to utilise digital tools and platforms more effectively in both classroom and virtual learning environments.

Declaring the workshop open, U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer, Stephen Ibelli, reiterated the U.S. Mission’s commitment to supporting a more educated population by increasing and strengthening the capacity of Nigerian teachers through teacher training workshops and exchange programmes.

“Education is the key to the success of any nation and Nigeria’s young people are its greatest resources and hopes of producing a more prosperous future for this great country. From the north to the south, from Calabar to Kano, we support educational initiatives like this, and we remain committed to strengthening human capital for inclusive Nigerian economic growth and human development.

“We know you will take advantage of this great opportunity and acquire the requisite skills for providing a quality learning experience for your students,” Ibelli told the Lagos cohort of the workshop comprising 100 high school teachers drawn from public and low-cost private schools in underserved communities.    

Ibelli lauded the CEO of Street to School Initiative, Oluwatosin Olowoyeye-Taiwo, a 2014 alumnus of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) for her tireless efforts in enhancing quality education in Nigeria.   

In her remarks, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja, expressed appreciation to the U.S. government and its partners for collaborating to upskill teachers across public and private schools in Lagos.  

“This workshop will further improve educational outcomes in Lagos,” she added.    

The workshop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund with support from the Public Affairs Section of the U.S Consulate General in Lagos.