Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), Prof Rashid Aderinoye (standing), addressing participants at the workshop, while a Director in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) office, Dr Ifeyinwa Ukaegbu (left), Ag Chairman, Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Sidi Yakubu Haliru and Director, MDG Desk Office, Mrs. Liman Kadija (right) listen.
By Wuraola Ajanlekoko
October 31, 2015.
One hundred and forty Nomadic education teachers, drawn from seven states under the Northwest zone, have received specialised training at a capacity building workshop organized by the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), in Gasau, Zamfara state recently. It was intended to acquaint them with the environment, culture and lifestyle of the nomads.
Co-sponsored by the Millennium Development Goals’ (MDGs) office and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the training, according to the commission’s Executive Secretary, Prof Rashid Aderinoye, was put together to provide the teachers with more knowledge about the nomadic people’s peculiarities.
When teachers understand the nomads’ peculiarities, he pointed out, it would be easy to carry them along in whatever is being planned for them.
Aderinoye said the commission’s desire to improve the quality of teaching and learning, having realized the poor learning outcomes in nomadic education, which were closely linked to glaring teachers’ low capacity, was another reason for holding the workshop.
A director in the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals, Dr Ifeyinwa Ukaegbu, assured the teachers that her office would ensure that they receive regular capacity development training, in tandem with the new world agenda – Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that were adopted by World Heads of States and Governments, at the recently held 70th session of the United Nations Assembly.
Cross section of teachers from seven states in the North West Zone, at the capacity building workshop, organized by the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) in Gasau, Zamfara recently.
According to her, the lessons learnt from the implementation of the MDGs revealed that investing in education was vital to sustainable development in economic, social and environmental benchmarks.
Ukaegbu stated that with the expected kick-off in January 2016 of the new SGDs, her office was determined to sustain the regular training of nomadic teachers. She disclosed that since the 4th and 5th articles of the SDGs harped on inclusive, equitable quality education and the promotion of lifelong learning, building the capacity of nomadic teachers was one of the most effective ways of achieving the envisaged turn-around in the quality of nomadic education.
She commended Aderinoye for “promoting and improving the quality of nomadic education in Nigeria,” just as she recommended the continued exposure of nomadic teachers to new teaching innovations.
Ukaegbu encouraged the teachers to share ideas on the different challenges they face in implementing the nomadic education curricular at the workshop. She also urged them to show commitment in the discharge of their duties.
Aderinoye noted that with the dearth of teachers, the use of multigrade teaching methodology had become imperative in nomadic schools. He urged the participants to acquire the techniques needed for its implementation in their respective schools.
The Executive Secretary commended UBEC and its Executive Secretary, Dr Sulieman Dikko for providing funds for the workshop and the commission’s previous projects on the one hand, and fostering collaboration in the implementation of basic education in Nigeria on the other. He also thanked the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs for also supporting the commission.
