….As Obaseki calls for steadfastness, commitment to EdoBEST reforms 

By Prince Okafor 

Following completion of their EdoBEST induction training exercise in Edo State, no fewer than 2, 602 educators, unemployed trainees have graduated from the programme.

The educators include, Teachers, Head Teachers, Principals, Learning and Development Officers, and Quality Assurance Officers.

The graduation ceremony was attended by top government functionaries, representatives of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), religious and traditional leaders, and other stakeholders.

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While enlightening them on their mandate, the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki said: “Teachers remain the most valuable resource in the delivery of transformational public basic education and this justifies our resolve to prioritize their recruitment and upskilling. Our teachers have become the bedrock of this reform.

“Following a 10-day intensive training and capacity building, I am delighted to graduate a new batch of about 3,000 teachers, comprising Progressive Primary School teachers and head teachers; Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers and principals, as well as successful EdoSTAR Fellowship candidates.

“The graduation ceremony signifies another milestone in basic education sector transformation initiated by me in 2018. With this event, the disarticulation of JSS in the state has officially commenced,” Obaseki noted. 

A total of 577 teachers and head teachers from 148 progressive primary schools underwent the EdoBEST induction training in January 2022 while 1,859 teachers and principals from 232 junior secondary schools were trained in February.  In addition, 166 school supervisors and quality assurance officers were recruited into the civil service and took part in the training.

On her part, the Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), Mrs Ozavize E. Salami, noted that, “The most important element in any educational system is the teacher. That is why we have prioritised closing teacher-gaps in schools and the professional development of our teachers.

“We are most proud of the inclusive and open process of the recruitment of the EdoSTAR fellows. Our fellows were selected based on their communities of residence and subject specialisation.

“You all must be held accountable for translating these investments into measurable learning outcomes.”

Also speaking at the event, Edo State Commissioner for Education, Joan Oviawe, stated that, “When you get back to the classroom, you will realised that you have become well positioned, well trained and well prepared to act in your roles as transformative teachers of the 21st Century classroom and beyond.” 

“The EdoBEST programme has been hailed by national and international basic education sector thought leaders as a remarkable reform programme that is expanding access to quality education by leveraging technology. With the expansion of the EdoBEST programme to Progressive and Junior Secondary Schools, over 25,000 additional Edo children now have access to the EdoBEST pedagogy which has delivered improved learning experiences in classrooms across the state. 

“The programme is now available to 280,000 pupils.

“Selected graduands who spoke at the ceremony expressed high hopes for the impact of the training on the trajectory of their careers as “digital teachers.”

One of the graduand, Mrs Blessing Osakpolor, said: “At the start of training, I thought it was going to be just one of those regular trainings. But I found out that it was way beyond my expectation. It turned out to be an extremely rich programme. 

“I think the Edo State government has done something for the Edo State people under the education sector beyond what we imagined.

“This is a training that every teacher should look forward to: I learnt how to manage my classroom better, how to motivate the pupils I teach to achieve greater result, and how to use technology to deliver impactful lessons that can lead to better learning outcomes for my pupils.”

A representative of the School Based Management Committee (SBMC) from Oredo Local Government area also noted that since the introduction of EdoBEST, parents and community leaders have become more interested in how to assist schools to achieve their objectives. He thanked Governor Obaseki and education administrators in Edo State for their commitment to the development of education