Edo State Government and Edo SUBEB recently played host to Facebook Education Delegates. The meeting was an explorative avenue for a collaboration between Facebook and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) as a way of consolidating on the Edo BEST Initiative.
Speaking at the event, the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, emphasised his receptiveness towards the Facebook-SUBEB partnership. Obaseki opined that an effective system of education for pupils of the State is a preparation for a competitive future with their peers in other parts of the world.
“A child in Ekpoma, a child in Ubiaja, a child in Auchi, in 10 or 20 years time should be able to compete with their peers in any part of the world. So we need to prepare them”, the Governor noted. He also stated that the State now has about 400 Kilometers of fiber optic cables around the Benin Metropolitan area which in no distant time would be extended to other areas of the state to enable access to wireless connectivity in public schools.
Adam Seldow, leader of the Facebook Delegation, noted that Edo state is the education innovation capital of Nigeria. According to him, Facebook is very interested in Sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria and particularly Edo State, as its focal point. Edo SUBEB would be the first in Nigeria to enter into this partnership with Facebook to create its own learning community for Teachers. It is the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Facebook Education is devoted to ensuring the improvement of teachers’ interaction by enhancing the professional e-learning communities with access to teachers training materials, and wireless connectivity in schools”, Adam Seldow noted.
One of the SUBEB teachers present at the event, by name Mr Adebayo Davison from Owan East LGA, was delighted to have met with the Facebook delegation. “So far Edo BEST has enhanced my teaching and personal life by making teaching easy for me through my teacher computer and I hope to gain more from this Facebook visit and partnership”, he noted.
Also speaking at the occasion was the Edo SUBEB Chairman, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe who noted that the partnership with Facebook will enhance the transformation initiative of the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration in basic education by advancing the current technological drive at the basic education level.
Education in the contemporary world cannot be separated from the technological revolution of the 21st Century. As a result, our education system must develop alongside new innovations including the use of technology and modern methods of pedagogy. This is the underlying motive behind the Facebook-SUBEB partnership and by extension, the Edo BEST Initiative, which leverages technology for educational advancement.
Edo BEST provides quality education for every child.
