JOSEF holds Another Skill Enhancement Training for Teachers.

 JOSEF holds Another Skill Enhancement Training for Teachers.

Josemaria Escriva Foundation, a leading Non Government organisation in Edo State with the support of TY Danjuma Foundation has conducted her final training sessions for selected teachers in Esan West and Esan Central Local Government Areas of Edo state under the Teachers’ Skills Enhancement Project (TSEP) funded by TY Danjuma Foundatioin. The TSEP programme which will run from 2023 - 2027, has the goal to use the Learning and Development Officers, LDO's in the LGAs to support 300 public primary schools to improve their teaching, technical and personal skills. This is aimed at complementing the very laudable, bold and courageous initiative of Edo SUBEB. Areas covered during the series of trainings were; how to improve in subject area content, Time and Stress Management, issues around Gender based violence, Innovative Curriculum Design, Technology-Enhanced Learning & Delivery (Blending technology and learning and ICT compliance using Teachers' Computers (TC)) amongst others.

At the final session that held on Saturday, 18th May, 2023, at Akho Primary school in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area, the participants were taught how Teacher's Personal Competencies can be enhanced as well as how to sustain good practice in the Teaching profession.

In her presentation, Mrs. Clementina Omosimua, a Learning and Development Officer (LDO), spoke extensively on the need for teachers to build their competency as this was a major way to remain relevant. The challenges experienced in the classroom and strategies for solving classroom challenges, amongst others were discussed. The second session, conducted by Mrs. Ohen Precious, the Head of Sessions, Schools Support Services, had Instructional Delivery in Classroom using the Teachers' Computer (TC) as her focus. She explained to the participants, how lessons can be delivered more effectively using the TC. 

Speaking on what they have thus far benefited from the trainings, a couple of participants, including Mrs. Egbadon Obehi Vivian, of Akho Primary School, Irrua, Ighodalo Benjamin of Eguare Primary School, Ugbegun, Esekhaigbe Patience, of Akho Primary School, Irrua, Blessing Ighodalo of Uzogholo Primary School, Ewu and Iyamu Sunday Etiosa, spoke on their experiences, emphatically stating that they have benefited immensely from the trainings in the areas of Time Management, Stress Management, Content Delivery Strategies Innovative Curriculum Design,Teachers/Personal Competencies, amongst others. They equally thanked Josemaria Escriva Foundation and TY Danjuma Foundation, for the opportunity given to them to benefit from the trainings and also maintained that they will go to their respective schools to cascade same trainings to other teachers that were not selected to attend the trainings. They thanked Edo State Urban Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB) for finding them worthy to be part of the training. 

Also, Mrs. Esther Oni-Idialu, the Education Secretary Esan Central LGA, thanked the organisers and restated that Edo SUBEB will continue to encourage more initiatives that will make the school environment more attractive to all including the quality of teaching and learning.

Speaking with a team of Journalists, Dr. Jude Obasanmi, the Chief Responsibility Officer of Josemaria Escriva Foundation said; "....we started this project courtesy of TY Danjuma Foundation, in 2023. So far a total of a hundred and twenty teachers have benefited from the trainings while it is expected that the balance of a hundred and eighty teachers will be captured on an annual bases of 60 teachers before the close of the project in 2027. The essence of the trainings among others, is to allow the teachers and learners to benefit maximally from the teaching process". Dr. Jude explained further that, "... before now, individuals, organisations and governments were only interested in building schools, providing tables, chairs, books, etc for schools, without looking at the delivery process and the individuals engaging the learners". According to him, in the course of the trainings, the teachers have been taught proper Classroom Management, Time Management, Stress Management, etc which in most cases, can negativity affect the teaching delivery if not properly managed by the teachers, especially bearing in mind the different situations faced by people these days, that are capable of affecting the psyche of people. Hence, their productivity. He maintained that, there has been a remarkable improvement on the part of the delivery of the teachers. While thanking Edo SUBEB for approving the project, and TY Danjuma Foundation for making funds available for the trainings, Dr. Obasanmi appreciated the teachers for their enthusiasm and the facilitators for their effectiveness in the delivery of the different modules.

Also speaking on the activities of TY Danjuma Foundation, the Edo State Officer of TY Danjuma Foundation, Ms. Oluwatomi Ajayi said; "TY Danjuma Foundation, is a private Philanthropic Foundation that was set up by retired General TY Danjuma in 2009 with a focus on giving grants to NGO's to support Health and Education related activities".

Continuing, she said; "over the years, TY Danjuma Foundation has been able to provide support and enabling environment for development partners..." 

Ms Ajayi mentioned that the instability of the financial environment in the economy has been a major challenge in the planning and budgeting of TY Danjuma in carrying out it's activities. She revealed that TY Danjuma Foundation has done some work in supporting education in one way or the other in most LGAs across the state. She advised that, the changing environment today, demands that teachers take seriously, whatever trainings in capacity development they are getting, so as to be able to meet up with the challenges in teaching the 21st century learners.

Making an assessment of the effectiveness of the trainings so far conducted, Ajayi said; "...our partner, Josemaria Escriva Foundation, after doing an assessment of the teachers deliveries, was able to identify the requisite training needs, hence came up with the different modules to bridge the missing links, so as to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the teaching deliveries and learning processes..." saying, it is this missing links that they, TY Danjuma Foundation sponsored.

"Conclusively, It is the hope of Josemaria Excriva Foundation and TY Danjuma foundation that the impacted teachers will effectively and efficiently deploy what they have learnt and the Knowledge gained for their personal benefits and for quality deliveries to their Students....Also, it is believed that these individuals will inturn train other teachers in their respective schools who were not captured in this training schedule". She concluded.