BY DAYO ADESULU
On Friday, Street to School Initiative, a U.S. government exchange alumnae-led organization, in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate General, launched “Re-imagining EducationX 2021: The Teacher on the Move.”
Through this teacher capacity-building workshop, 300 high school teachers from Lagos, Rivers and Enugu states will acquire skills in effective virtual classroom pedagogy, best practices in curriculum development, lesson planning, and innovative 21st-century student-centred teaching methods.
This initiative also aims to strengthen the digital literacy skills of the participating teachers to enable them to utilize digital tools and platforms more effectively in both classroom and virtual learning environments.
Declaring the workshop open, U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer Stephen Ibelli reiterated the U.S. Mission’s commitment to supporting a more educated population by increasing and strengthening the capacity of Nigerian teachers through teacher training workshops and exchange programs.
“Education is the key to the success of any nation and Nigeria’s young people are its greatest resources and hopes of producing a more prosperous future for this great country. From the north to the south, from Calabar to Kano, we support educational initiatives like this, and we remain committed to strengthening human capital for inclusive Nigerian economic growth and human development.”
“We know you will take advantage of this great opportunity and acquire the requisite skills for providing a quality learning experience for your students,” Ibelli told the Lagos cohort of the workshop comprising 100 high teachers drawn from public and low-cost private high schools in underserved communities.
Ibelli lauded the CEO of Street to School Initiative, Oluwatosin Olowoyeye-Taiwo, a 2014 alumnus of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) for her tireless efforts in enhancing quality education in Nigeria.
“U.S. Government exchange alumni members like Ms Oluwatosin Olowoyeye-Taiwo are at the forefront of promoting access to qualitative education, good governance and civic engagement throughout Nigeria,” Ibelli added.
As part of the Consulate’s commitment to the success of the workshop, 10 tablets and a laptop were presented to deserving teachers following a competitive selection process. In addition, tablets will be presented to the five top-performing teachers at the completion of the workshop. The teachers will use the devices to continue working with students, updating lesson content, innovating teaching methods, and monitoring learners’ progress.
In her remarks, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Abosede Adelaja, expressed appreciation to the U.S. government and its partners for collaborating to upskill teachers across public and private schools in Lagos. “This workshop will further improve educational outcomes in Lagos,” she added.
The workshop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund with support from the Public Affairs Section of the U.S Consulate General in Lagos.
