More children in Edo state have started benefiting from the innovative, life-changing learning methods of EdoBEST, the revolutionary basic education reform programme introduced by the Governor Godwin Obaseki led administration.
This follows the successful completion of training and graduation ceremony for an additional 1,200 teachers and headteachers on 14, January 2023.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Executive Chairman of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), Mrs. Ozavize E. Salami stated that “this training which graduated about 1,200 digital teachers is significant because we graduated the final set of a training cycle that started in 2018, when His Excellency, Governor Obaseki launched the EdoBEST reform under the daring administration of the now Commissioner of Education, Dr Joan Osa Oviawe.”
The Chairman further noted that “this reflects that His Excellency is committed to finishing what he started in 2018, and we are now fully focused on measuring the impact of the programme on learning outcomes and also on domesticating the programme for sustainability,”
The recently concluded training brings the number of teachers and headteachers trained under the EdoBEST programme to 16,400.
By completing the recent training, all 307 state-owned junior secondary schools and 1,024 primary schools were incorporated into the EdoBEST programme. Additionally, all 3,000 EdoSTAR fellows in basic education are now trained and placed in schools.
“The most desirable outcome of any teacher training or any upskilling activity we carry out at the Board is that the learning outcomes of our students are significantly improved,” Mrs. Salami told the granduants at the graduation ceremony.
“Your pupils are the reason you have this job. They are the reason you have been trained, the reason work tools have been made available to you; therefore, their welfare, their learning, their attendance, their academic progress must be your top priority. Henceforth, teachers will be assessed and promoted based on the academic performance of their students and so you must ensure that do extremely well to meet your KPIs and teaching objectives,” Mrs Salami further told the granduants,” She added.
During the training, participating teachers and headteachers learnt EdoBEST motivational strategies geared at bringing out the best in their pupils. They were taught about the role of teachers in the modern classroom environment; how to use specific instructional tools including the Character Board, their teacher tablets and smartphones for classroom and school administration.
Additionally, they were taught about the Growth Mindset, Foundation of Strong Instruction, Building Blocks of a Strong School, Child Protection, and how technology can be an enabler of better learning outcomes.
Ms. Emofonmwan Josephine, an EdoSTAR fellow from Etsako Central local government area noted that, “when I arrived for the training on the first day, I knew I was going to learn new things but I didn’t know that it would be this detailed. I can testify that my expectation was surpassed. I am going back reinvigorated and with a can-do attitude to make my classroom vibrant and the children much better. This training has brought out the best in me”
Since Governor Obaseki launched EdoBEST, the programme has continued to expand covering more schools, providing basic education services to more teachers and pupils.
On his part, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Edo state chapter encouraged the teachers to do their best in contributing to the academic progress of the pupils in their care.
At present, over 350,000 pupils benefit from the reform programme in Edo state’s 18 local government areas. Some of the pupils reside in areas that have been neglected by successive governments. The technology underpinning EdoBEST ensures that all children get the same quality of education, irrespective of their location within the state.
