When Edo State Government in 2018 launched the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation, EdoBEST 1.0, nobody envisaged the resounding success it eventually recorded and is recording. It has changed the face of basic education in the state, winning accolades from far and near and also being copied by others.
The development led to stepping up the programme with the launch of EdoBEST 2.0 which focuses on senior secondary school and technical education.
The occasion, held in Benin at the weekend, also saw the launch of the Nigerian Learning Passport done in conjunction with the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Godwin Obaseki said the new focus on secondary and technical education would help move the state from a place where people have certificates but no job to where people have jobs even if they do not have big certificates.
“After Junior Secondary School, our children must have a vocation they are good at. In the light of this, we are going to ensure that the state has at least 20 technical colleges before we leave office in 2024. We are also working on 20 mini stadia across the state as we want to produce total and complete students from our schools.
We now live in a world of knowledge and without acquiring the required knowledge to navigate today’s world, one would not be able to get to anywhere significant.
“Human capacity is what tomorrow’s world needs and if we don’t give our children what they need, our country won’t be able to compete then. The key to any education reform is the teacher. That is why we have trained and retrained our teachers. The teachers are the ones governing the schools and once you get the governance of the school right with a competent head teacher, he will get the other teachers to work and our children, the students, will be okay.
“We have moved from the situation of our children going to school, what we now focus on is quality and the relevance of what they are being taught. For us, education has not been an elitist product and we must continue so that our children would have access to school and quality education.
“We have changed the designation of the heads of our secondary schools to Executive Principals. This is to give them full responsibility of what happens in their schools. They must not also bow to political pressure,” he said.
Expressing delight at the giant strides recorded through EdoBEST1.0, he expressed optimism that the new level would also impact positively on secondary and technical education.
Listing the areas of focus of the programme to include quality/relevance of what is taught students, access/equity, school governance, financing, secondary and TVET education, he added that next year would be on special education, adult education and tertiary education.
Obaseki noted that steps had been taken so that the programmes and policies would be sustained after he might have left office, as necessary laws had been enacted to back SUBEB, PPEB, BTVET and others.
“Anybody who comes after us and wants to change anything would have to go to the lawmakers, who are the representatives of the people to change such laws. We are also going to implement Child Rights Law. Parents must do their part. Every parent that can afford it, should/must provide food for their children to take to school. Parents must support their child’s academic and co-curricular pursuits.
“Using children under the age of 18 for manual labour and for house help is not acceptable. Offenders will be prosecuted.
Perpetrators of all kinds of violence against children: sexual difilement, physical abuse will be prosecuted. Beginning September 12 when schools resume, any school-age child found loitering, hawking during school hours will be arrested and their parents or guardians prosecuted. Constabularies and other measures will be put in place to comb the marketplaces and streets during school hours.
“Schools resume on Monday, September 12 and teaching begins on that day. I will send out a special squad to go out and monitor schools on that day. The Ministry of Education, SUBEB, PPEB and. BTVET will be held accountable if teaching does not begin on day one.”
The governor also announced the Disarticulation of Schools from 6-3-3-4 to 1-9-3-4, which will see the separation of JSS from SSS and the conversion of primary schools to basic schools.
It will start in the state this September.
In her speech, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Joan Osa Oviawe, said over 1,500 teachers and 305 executive principals were trained, while the 1,000 EdoSTAR Fellows just recruited would be trained too.
EdoSTAR- means Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Results.
“In line with the vision of EdoSTAR, Teacher Appreciation Day has been introduced, on this day everyone is urged to celebrate our teachers and show them appreciation. EdoSTAR Teaching Fellowship Programme is not a casual work scheme. It’s a full time Earn-and-Learn employment scheme to recruit and groom the next generation of teachers. Teaching is no longer the profession for quacks. What separates other government teachers from EdoSTAR Fellows is that they are pensionable and they earn Teachers Special Allowance. The EdoSTAR Fellows will start earning this upon their automatic absorption into the public service after satisfactory performance on the job. Fellows will receive continuous training. Those without the requisite educational qualifications will be supported to get them.
“All Fellows will be trained to meet and exceed the new Edo State Teaching Standards.”
She added that participants in the N-POWER programme would be given the opportunity to apply to join the EdoSTAR Fellows track upon the completion of their one-year scheme, and based on satisfactory performance.
She disclosed that the College of Education in Igueben would take off later in the year to provide continuous professional development and capacity building for teachers.
In their remarks, Yetunde Oluwatosin and Babagana Aminu, Education Specialists, UNICEF, lauded Governor Obaseki for the introduction of EdoBEST 1.0 and the higher version, EdoBEST 2.0, saying the former recorded amazing results in the education sector in the state.
They expressed optimism that the EdoBEST 2.0 would also make significant impact in the senior secondary school level and technical colleges.
Obaseki later inaugurated management boards for some secondary schools and also rewarded some outstanding teachers.
VANGUARD
