• Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Edo extends initiative to junior sec schools to sustain gains

Edo extends initiative to junior sec schools to sustain gains

Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, says the state government would ensure that gains in digital teaching recorded in primary schools through the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) initiative are sustained at the secondary school level by designating special junior secondary schools to offer digital teaching in the state.

The governor gave the assurance when he received members of the EdoBEST Digital Teachers’ Forum, who were at Government House, in Benin City, on a courtesy visit.

He said his administration would sustain the transformation of the state and ensure that Edo people enjoy the dividends of democracy, noting, “Any politics that doesn’t develop people is bad politics. Politics that doesn’t take from our collective good to support the weakest in the society is bad politics and that is what we are changing in Edo State.”

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He noted that the state government was making plans for Special Junior Secondary Schools across the state to sustain the gains being recorded with the Edo-BEST initiative.

He said the focus now should be on harnessing the full benefits of the EdoBEST programme by extending the tech-based teaching method from primary 1-6 to junior secondary school 1-3.
Obaseki said, “Working with our partners and SUBEB, we would designate Special Junior Secondary Schools to sustain this initiative. We would equip junior secondary schools per ward with the needed facilities such as workshops and laboratories to set our children up for the future.

“Next term, I will look for resources to improve teaching in junior secondary schools. We have no choice but to do what is right to change the lives of children in Edo State,” he noted.
He commended the digital teachers for their contributions to the basic education sector reforms, promising to continue to support them.

Chairman, EdoBEST Digital Teachers’ Forum, Eson John, said members of the forum were at the Government House to update the governor on the vision and mission of the group, noting that the group has succeeded in helping their colleagues in successfully migrating to technology-compliant teaching in schools.

Also, Governor Obaseki says the state was finalising plans to organise a football tournament for pupils in primary schools across the state’s three senatorial districts, as part of government’s drive to develop grassroots sports.

Obaseki disclosed this while hosting pupils from Ekhaguere Primary School, who represented the state at the recently concluded Channels International Soccer competition.

The governor, who was visibly excited over the performance of the pupils at the competition, promised a N1 million reward for the participants, and a scholarship worth N500,000 to Goodluck Destiny, who returned a missing wallet he found during the competition.

He said, “These children have made Edo State proud at this year’s outing despite not winning the competition. I will give them a reward of N1 million for their effort while Master Goodluck Destiny, who found a wallet and returned it to the owner, will receive a scholarship of N100,000 per year for the next five years. They portrayed Edo State in good light.”

Obaseki said top on the agenda of his administration is to develop sports in schools alongside the re-enactment of basic education, noting, “What we lost some years ago is gradually being restored. We will establish a befitting football pitch in your school and will organise a football tournament for boys and girls to compete across the three senatorial districts.”

Special adviser to the Governor on Basic Education and chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Joan Osa Oviawe, said the team represented the state at the Channels International Soccer competition, after winning the maiden edition of the tournament. She noted that they were edged out of this year’s tournament by a team from Benin Republic.