Edo Teachers' Skills Enhancement Project 2023: Josemaria Escriva Foundation Trains Teachers.
By: Oriaifoh Godwins
A Nigeria based Non-governmental organization, Josemaria Escriva Foundation (JOSEF) with the thematic foci on education, health and policy advocacy, has flagged off the Teachers' Skills Enhancement Project for Public Primary School Teachers in Esan West and Esan Central Local Government Areas of Edo State. The five years project is funded by TY Danjuma Foundation, a Nigerian based Foundation.
The flag off ceremony that held at Esan West Council Hall, had in attendance the then Liaison Officer, Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Friday Amediamen, representatives of TY Danjuma Foundation Ms. Tomi Ajayi, Education Secretraies from Esan West and Esan Central, Learning and Development Officers(LDOS), befitting teachers, Chief Akhigbe B.A and Chief Evienbor V., who represented the Onojie of Ekpoma.
In his welcome address, the Chief Responsibility Officer, CRO, of JOSEF, Comrade Dr. Jude Obasanmi, PhD, said; ' with the support of TY Danjuma Foundation (TYDF), JOSEF has implemented several programmes in the Educational sector.' For instance, he said; 'addressing the dropout syndrome amongst secondary school girls in Imoga community of Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo state, through enhanced education, mentoring and entrepreneurship and implementation of educational intervention'.
Continuing, he added that, '...it is interesting to note that during the first and second waves of COVID-19, that resulted to the closure of schools, the foundation implemented the "Learners learn at home project", where one thousand and two hundred school children in Akoko Edo and Esan West local government areas were reached with some educational materials particularly for those who could not access the internet'.
Dr. Obasanmi revealed in his welcome address that, in Akoko Edo, Esan West and Esan Central local government areas, one hundred and ten teachers from ninety Public Primary Schools were trained on how to design and effectively use some teaching and learning materials (TLMs). The results, he said, showed increase in learners' assimilation, retention and enthusiasm in the last four years that the project lasted.
According to Dr. Obasanmi, the Foundation, through the Financial and Technical support from TYDF, will be implementing the TSEP Project in Esan West and Esan Central local government areas in the next five years. The project, he said, will capture three hundred primary school teachers on an annual basis of sixty teachers in addition to ten Learning and Development Officers (LDOs), Quality Assurance (QA) and Heads of School Support System in the two local government areas.
The representative of TYDF Ms. Tomi Ajayi, who expressed satisfaction at the conduct of the previous skills trainings conducted for the teachers by JOSEF, said; 'the Foundation is committed to support local NGOs in the areas of maternal health, eye care and education. She thanked the Edo State Universal Basic Educatiom Board for finding the Foundation a worthy partner and promised to ensure that the foundation will not fall short of expectations. She equally appealed to the participants to take the training serious in an attempt to have value for the funds being expended on the project.
The then Liaison Officer, Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Friday Amediamen expressed his utmost joy identifying with JOSEF in his few months of being in the council. He was quick to recall the various educational and health interventions of the Foundation and asked them to do more. He promised to support the programme to achieves its objectives.
In her remarks, the Education Secretary, Esan Central Local Government Area, Mrs. Oni-Idialu Esther, commended JOSEF and TYDF for bringing the project to the area and promised to render the required support online with the project approval from SUBEB. She also appealed to the participants to see the project as another addition to all the positive reforms of SUBEB.
In his remarks, the Board Chairman of JOSEF Prof. M. A. Izibili, revealed that there will be series of trainings for the trainers (LDOs) and teachers to cover the following areas: Writing and Communication Skills Development, Pathagogy Skills/Montessori Method, Classroom, Time and Stress Management.
In a show of appreciation, one of the training participants, Mr. Solomon Irehobvude, commended JOSEF for the project and hoped that all the objectives will be met. He thanked SUBEB for the opportunity given to him and others to benefit from the training.
