Kaduna SUBEB begins massive training, retraining of teachers – Official

From: Femi  Oyelola, Kaduna

The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (Kaduna SUBEB) said it has embarked on massive training and retraining of teachers to equip them with requisite skills for teaching and learning in basic schools.

Mr Samaila Leeman, Permanent Member, Schools Management, Kaduna SUBEB, stated this while speaking with the media in Kaduna.

Leeman said teachers were “critical and valuable assets” in the state’s quest to improve the quality of education delivery system.

He explained that the goal was to improve learning outcomes by ensuring that the teachers’ capacity was developed and enhanced.

This, according to him, will enable the state to achieve the expected learning outcomes in public schools, especially at the foundation level.

“It is not only about the building of classrooms, provision of furniture and other infrastructure, we need teachers that are qualified to teach and teachers that are developing and growing every day.

“This is why we embarked on massive training and retraining of teachers.

“If not, we will not be able to get the right outcome we expect from the investment the government is making in the education sector.”

He said that about 10,000 teachers across the state were being trained in about eight different skills happening week after week with some of the training running concurrently in different locations.

He explained that with support from the British Council, Kaduna SUBEB was training 6,000 teachers on Strengthening English Proficiency.

He added that 2,107 teachers were being trained under Teachers Professional Development (TPD) of which 400 School Support Officers and 220 Head Teachers were trained in leadership and capacity enhancement.

“Also, 207 teachers were trained on Guidance and Counselling, 200 teachers on special education and 460 for Information and Communication Technology, 420 on curriculum implementation and 200  inclusive education.

“Similarly, a total of 494 teachers and other school administrators are being trained under the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Programme, designed to improve literacy and numeracy skills among primary school pupils.

“TaRL is an evidence-based educational approach that helps children to develop basic reading and numeracy skills within a short period of time,” he said.

“We expect that trained teachers will go back to their various schools and establish learning labs where they can also share what they have learned with their colleagues,” he said.

The permanent member explained that the training was delayed because of the anticipated disengagement of teachers that failed evaluation test.

He added that other primary school teachers who were recruited by the Teachers Service Board  secondary schools were also leaving, while others retired, and others died.