The Lagos State Government has partnered with the Sustainable Education and Enterprise Development (SEED) Foundation to train and equip one million teachers with modern teaching techniques.
This will be part of the measures to address the decline in students’ performances occasioned by poor teaching techniques
Declaring open the training organised for teachers at the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Education, Barrister Tokunbo Wahab, said the programme was designed to give participants relevant skills that will boost their competency and professionalism to deliver quality teaching.
Achieving the T.H.E.M.E.S goal: The SEED program is one of the tactics employed by the State’s government, headed by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, to achieve the goals outlined in the Education and Technology Pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S. Development Agenda.
- The program also aims to improve teachers’ capacity by exposing them to various online courses and foreign teaching methods that would help them stay up-to-date with their knowledge and hone their skills so they could perform better and instruct students effectively in the classroom.
Turning out qualified teachers: The Special Adviser disclosed more about the goal of the programme, saying-
- “The State Government noted that the partnership with FEED Foundation would produce the desired result by assisting institutions in the State to turn out teachers who are not only qualified for the job but have the interest of the profession at heart.”
- Additionally, he gave the assurance that the State Government would not give up on creating the incentives and supportive environment necessary to make teaching one of the State’s most lucrative professions.
- In her remarks, Vice-Chancellor of LASUED, Professor Bilkis Lafiaji-Okunneye noted that the State Government/SEED collaboration is one of the strategies of the present administration to professionalise teaching towards enhancing improved performance among teachers.
Prioritizing training and re-training: On the need to build the capacity of teachers, the Executive Director, of SEED Care and Support Foundation Olanrewju Oniyitan explained:
- “The challenges against quality education in Nigeria are enormous, and there was a need to build the capacity of teachers in training so as to update their knowledge.
- “No matter how conducive the learning environment is, the availability of competent and qualified teachers is crucial to achieving sustainable growth in education, calling on the government at all levels to prioritise training and re-training of teachers as a necessary prerequisite for improvement.”