From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has commenced training of 1,480 teachers selected from rural and hard-to-reach schools in the 36 states and FCT.
The commission said the training is part of its plans to tackle growing learning crisis in the country, adding that the training focuses on the multi-grade and mixed ability approaches to teaching.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Hamid Bobboyi, who flagged off the training in Abuja, yesterday, said the commission noticed that one of the challenges bedevilling the Universal Basic Education implementation in Nigeria is the inability of some learners to access quality education that translates to improved learning outcomes due to their location.
Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Bala Zakari, who represented Bobboyi, said the commission initiated the capacity building programme on multigrade/mixed classroom pedagogies for teachers in the rural and hard-to-reach schools to equip them with skills for effective teaching and managing of learners at different levels or grade in class.
He said the training demonstrates the commitment and interest of government at providing unfettered and quality basic education to every Nigerian child, notwithstanding location and background.
“In a world where classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse and complex, it is essential for teachers to be equipped with strategies that will enable them effectively engage and support learners irrespective of their age, ability, interest and socio-economic background,” he said.
Director of Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Folake Olatunji-David, represented by Adedekun Israel, said challenges of limited resources, large class size with students of varying ages and abilities, require a special set of skills and approaches.
She said the training was designed to equip teachers with the tools and techniques they need to thrive in the demanding teaching and learning environments.
“Multigrade and mixed ability pedagogy offers a framework for effective teaching in classrooms with students of multiple age groups, and varying learning abilities.
“By learning these strategies, our teachers are better equipped to create engaging and differentiated lessons that cater for the diverse needs of their students,” she said.
She challenged participating teachers to take advantage of the training to empower themselves preparatory for unexpected challenges.
Meanwhile, UBEC Director of Teacher Development, Mayowa Aleshin, said the training underscored the fact that government was addressing different challenges militating against effective teaching and learning in any location in the country.
“One of the solutions is the capacity building of teachers to arrest learning poverty in the schools in the rural and hard-to-reach areas, and to ensure every child in school receives quality education,” he said.