Edo National Association World-wide (ENAW) in United States and Canada has set the pace, with the donation of four million, five hundred thousand Naira (N4, 500,000.00) in support of Edo-BEST, an ambitious educational Program, initiated by the Godwin Obaseki-led administration.
ENAW’s President, Mr. Edison Oyiboke-Osifo, who led a delegation of the organization, that has been in the state since the past three weeks for the annual Medical Mission, presented the check for N4.5m to the Secretary to Edo Government, Barr. Osarodion Ogie at the state house on Tuesday.
At the presentation ceremony, Mr. Oyiboke said the gesture was in appreciation and commendation of the Government’s foresight in the development of the basic education sector of the state.
He assured of ENAW’s readiness to partner the government towards ensuring accelerated development of other areas of the economy.
In his response, Barr. Osarodion Ogie promised that the donation would be utilized in line with Edo BEST project guidelines and implementation plan.
In March 2018, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), flagged off the training of 300 teachers drawn from 300 public primary schools in the state in the pilot scheme of the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) program.
Edo-BEST is a basic education reform blueprint that prioritizes deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in teaching, harmonizes teaching and learning outcomes across locations and promotes an interactive classroom management model, among others.
Edo SUBEB boss and Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Basic Education, Dr. Joan Oviawe, in a meeting with the executives of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) said the scope of work for EDO-BEST would include governance and institutional development; teacher and curriculum development; community participation and partnership, infrastructure and organizational development.
She added that the reforms would be spread across the 18 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs).
Dr. Oviawe emphasized that there was an urgent need to improve teacher quality and performance, increase numeracy and literacy levels, improve infrastructure as well as engender support system for school administration and management for increased efficiency.
The government then mounted a campaign to promote and solicit support for the program, including reaching out to Edo people in the Diaspora, with a delegation, led by Dr. Oviawe meeting with ENAW to explain the program’s benefit to Edo children, during the organization’s April 2018 Council of Presidents meeting in Canada.
Following that meeting, Edo National Association World-wide (ENAW), led by Mr. Edison Oyiboke-Osifo went all out reaching out to Edo sons and daughters, and all affiliate organizations in America and Canada, explaining and soliciting financial support for the program. Tuesday’s donation towards the program was a result of such painstaking efforts.
Among those present at the presentation ceremony, were the Chief of staff to Governor Obaseki, Mr. Taiwo Akerele; ENAW Cultural Director, Mr. Osagie Igbinosun; the Vice Chairman of ENAW 2020 Medical Mission, Dr. Scotty Izevbigie; the President of UNIC Club of Toronto, Canada, Mr. Emmanuel Aigbedion and Mr. Peter Isibor, a member of ENAW delegation.
