Obaseki’s education reform: Training for Learning Officers will engender result-driven basic education – Oviawe

Chairman-designate of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, has said that the ongoing training for Learning and Development Officers, who are championing the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme, will guarantee a result-driven basic education sub-sector in the state.

Dr. Osa Oviawe, in a chat with journalists, said that the state government intends to revolutionise the basic education sub-sector and make it the envy of all, noting that continuous capacity building for improved productivity in the classroom remains a cardinal arm of the Edo-BEST programme.

Dr. Oviawe, who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education, said that the ongoing training is in phases and only dedicated hands will progress to the next stage.

“Some of the teachers have advanced to the next stage of the exercise. Others will go back to the classroom to teach and continue to master their craft.

“The selection criteria included assessment scores, oral interview and unbeknownst to all of them, they were under observation in the last two weeks. Some were sleeping in class, while some others were busy chatting online. The pass mark for Learning and Development Officers was set at 75 per cent. We are really gunning for the best of the best to become trainers of teachers,” she said.

She noted that “the experience from the exercise remains a treasure trove of insights and new revelations, as people who are used to the shortcuts of cronyism, nepotism, tribalism have now been jolted to pay mind to their tasks.”

She added that the exercise also revealed that “some teachers are hard of hearing, some cannot see well and we have told them to get their eyes tested and outfitted with glasses.”

According to her, “there were some complaints from some of the participants which we are looking at solving. As we turn over the system and introduce merit as the foremost yardstick for decision making, it is our hope that the teachers will soon cotton on to the mindset of meritocracy.

“At this stage of the training, teachers have to be able to use the tablet effectively to teach. And at the end of the training, those still struggling will not be given a teacher’s tab. They will need to go for more training.”