EdoBest: SUBEB Commences Training Of 1,500 Principals, Teachers

As part of the EdoBest reforms, the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has begun the pedagogical training of no fewer than 1,446 Secondary School teachers, headteachers, and principals across the State.

The training which is ongoing in Benin state was organised to bridge the gap in the state's Junior Secondary School system by at least 95 per cent, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Speaking at the opening of the training on Thursday, the Executive Chairman, Edo SUBEB, Ozavize Salami said the exercise organised for the teachers, headteachers and principals is a forward step in promoting the education reforms intended by Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.

Salami expressed positivity that the investment in the teachers would lead to an improvement in the learning pattern of students across the state. 

“Government is the largest provider of basic education service in the state and we are optimistic that our deliberate investment in teachers, through our professional development programmes.

The mandate is to sustain the gains made so far under the reforms in the basic education sector; we hope to progress with our EdoBEST programme such that it stands as a legacy for the people of Edo even after this administration is long gone.

“Gov. Godwin Obaseki is also committed to closing teacher gaps, especially through the EdoSTAR fellowship programme where 3,000 persons have been employed to fill teaching positions in primary and junior secondary schools across the state.

“These fellows will benefit from the new minimum wage announced by the governor recently,” Salami said. 

The SUBEB Don added that the EdoBest programme would through the event introduce 31,963 more children in Edo State to a structured methodology of learning.

“As part of the reform, a total of 365 EdoSTAR fellows – teacher volunteers – are also undergoing a 10-day intensive training which will enable participants to deliver impactful lessons to children, using the EdoBEST pedagogy," he hinted. 

In responding to questions bordering on non-payment of stipends to the EdoSTAR fellows, Salami said 80 per cent of the fellows had been fully paid while others would receive their entitlement soon.

“In the face of growing calls for prioritisation of teacher professional development across Nigeria, Edo state has been at the forefront of upskilling teachers.

“In the first two quarters of 2022 alone, 2,602 teachers, school leaders, Learning and Development Officers (LDOs) and Quality Assurance Officers (QAO) have been retrained to enable them to deliver on their jobs as educators and managers.

“At the ongoing training, new school and classroom management techniques, modern teaching practices, anti-gender-based violence and child protection strategies as well as other important emerging best practices in school administration are being taught.

“Additionally, sessions are tailored to provide support to teachers in other facets of teaching ranging from interpretation of the curriculum, to understanding the needs of pupils, with a view to motivating them to succeed.

“Because of the strategic role teachers play in the basic education ecosystem, Gov. Obaseki is prioritising teacher professional development as a vehicle for accelerating learning, ” she explained.