Olubusuyi Adenipekun
28 August 2008
The Federal Ministry of Education has stepped up efforts toward a successful implementation of the new 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum.
The revelation came from the Minister of Education 11, Mrs Aisha Dukku recently.
According to her, the training of teachers on the implementation of the new basic education curriculum is necessary because the curriculum is expected to be skills and information driven and teachers need to be re-equipped and re-tooled.
She further disclosed that in order to meet set targets, 39,239 qualified teachers need to be recruited annually for the next eight years, adding that states have to show greater commitment to production of qualified teachers and continuing professional development.
Mrs Dukku advised state governments to take advantage of the Federal Teachers Scheme, explaining that the FME is looking into the possibility of scaling up the Special Teacher Upgrading Programme (STUP).
She regretted that in spite of the existence of STUP, which is meant to fast-track the extirpation of all under-qualified teachers, states still have them in abundance and continue to recruit them while qualified teachers roam the streets.
The aim of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) teacher training programme for 145,000 teachers, according to her, is to equip them to meet the challenges of the new 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum.
She said that education is central to having sustainable development and poverty eradication, adding that quality education that is accessible to all school-aged children can be used to eradicate poverty.
The Acting Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Teachers' Institute, Unwaha Yahaya Ismaila said that Nigeria is committed to the implementation of programmes that will lead to the attainment of EFA and MDGs, assuring all that NTI is a major player in this respect.
NTI has put things in place to ensure smooth conduct of the MDG workshops and attainment of training objectives and is building on successes of the 2006 edition which was roundly commended by participants, stakeholders, evaluators and participants.
Training is to take place in 275 centres with 3500 resource persons recruited mainly from teacher training institutions. NTI is also running STUP which is intended to ensure that by 2010 no teacher in the school system has less than NCE.
It also runs PGD in Education to give untrained graduate teachers pedagogical skills for effective classroom delivery and has introduced Advanced Diploma course in guidance and counselling, school supervision and inspection and early childhood education to sharpen knowledge and skills of teachers.
It is also working with states to institutionalise continuing professional development for teachers. States owe responsibility to support their teaching force to participate in re-training programmes once every two years if not annually.
While responding on behalf of participants, Jummai Dauda thanked the minister for choosing Yobe State for flag off, adding that it is an evidence of her concern for educationally-disadvantaged states.
He commended the Federal Government for sponsoring the training as well as the Yobe State Governor, Senator Mamman Ali for giving education priority, urging him to open new collaborative efforts with NTI, UBEC and NICCE in order for Yobe State teachers to benefit from the various teacher development programmes.
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