By Muhammad Amaan
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) said it is targeting to train 100,000 teachers across the six states in the geopolitical zone.
Mallam Abubakar Bulama, the Unit Officer, Scholarship, Training and Capacity Building, stated this at a five-day capacity building for 200 basic education teachers in Gashua Local Government Area of Yobe State.
He said that the intervention was part of the commission’s broader mandate of rehabilitation, reconstruction and reintegration in the insurgency-affected region.
“The region has suffered low literacy and poor school enrolment due to insecurity. NEDC is committed to providing access to quality education by strengthening the capacity of teachers in the region.
“Already we have trained no fewer than 300 teachers in the first phase. We are currently training 200 in Yobe North, with a long-term target of training 100,000 teachers across the region,” Bulama said.
The officer urged participants to take advantage of the opportunity to improve their teaching skills for the benefit of the younger generation.
In his remarks, Dr Muhammed Machina, the Lead Consultant, Yalaye Nigeria Limited, said that the firm was selected to conduct the training following a rigorous screening process.
Machina stated that the training focused on two thematic areas such as effective teaching and learning techniques, and Science, Technical, Engineering, Mathematics and Agriculture (STEMA) methodologies.
The consultant further said that the training would engage 100 teachers in STEMA-related subjects, while the other 100 participants would focus on effective classroom teaching methods.
“The programme is exciting, educative and highly beneficial to the participants. We expect them to replicate the knowledge gained in their respective schools,” he said.
Dr AbdulRahman Danladi, the Provost, Umar Suleiman College of Education, Gashua, described the workshop as a timely intervention geared towards repositioning the education sector in the state.
“This initiative reflects NEDC commitment to revitalising education by training and retraining teachers at the primary and post-primary levels for enhanced service delivery,” he said.
Dr Danladi said that teaching was more than mere lesson delivery, stating that it involves inspiring learners through careful planning, facilitation, assessment and mentoring.
He encouraged the participants to engage fully with the facilitators to maximise the impact of the workshop.
