NTI to train 4,070 teachers on MDG’s

From Mohammed Ibrahim, Kaduna

The Director-General and Chief Executive of the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu, said that the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) retraining workshops, which are implemented by the Institute, are aimed at retooling the Nigerian teachers to enhance their performance and competence in pedagogy and subject-matter content.

The DG disclosed this during the 2014 Pre-MDGs briefing with stakeholders in the education sector at the Institute’s headquarters in Kaduna, saying that for this year’s training, the institute is targeting 4,070 teachers with each senatorial district having a minimum of 35 nominations.

Dr. Aminu urged the stakeholders to select the best teachers to participate in the 2014 training. He said the teachers after the training are expected to cascade the training through cluster groupings in their schools.

“We are working hard with our education experts to produce excellent training manuals as well as providing relevant instructional resources that will be used at the workshops” he said.

In his Goodwill message, the Chairman at the event, who is also the Chairman Senate Committee on MDGs, Sen. Ali Ndume, represented by the Chairman House Committee on MDGs, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, said their partnership with NTI has been excellent.

He said they are assisting the agency because of its compliance with due process. Hon. Doguwa added that the day’s event is all about planning towards the training of teachers for this year.

According to him, it is because of the transparency of the institute that they decided to invite stakeholders to make input in the implementation process.

Hon. Doguwa said the MDGs is not coming to an end by 2015, but rather will be succeeded by Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed to consolidate on the existing progress. He said NTI is one of those agencies that will sustain the MDGs.

The Representative of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr. Ify Okaegbu said education is the key to the development of the nation.

She stressed that the MDGs capacity building workshop has been designed to improve the capacity of teachers and since 2006; the NTI has trained over 610, 000 teachers under the project.

In attendance were the Commissioners of education of Gombe, Nasarawa, Akwa-Ibom, Zamfara, Niger among many other States. Also present at the occasion is a member of the NTI Governing Council, Mrs. Aishatu Ahmad, NTI Consultant, Prof. (Emeritus) Thomas Adeyenju, among other important dignitaries.