The British Council has commended the Benue State Government for its efforts to improve the quality of education and teacher development, as it partners with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to train 150 teachers and head teachers.
The five-day training, which began on Monday at Holy Family Primary School, Kanshio, Makurdi, is being organised under the Strengthening Teachers’ English Proficiency (STEP) programme and the School Leadership Capacity Building Workshop.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of English and School Education, British Council, Fwanshishak Daniel, applauded the progress recorded in educational quality, pupil enrolment and teacher development in Benue State in recent times.
Daniel said the STEP programme was designed to improve teachers’ English language proficiency and professional capacity, particularly their communication skills and effectiveness in classroom interactions.
He noted that strengthening teachers’ capacity remained essential to improving learning outcomes and ensuring that pupils received quality education.
Declaring the training open, the Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr. Margaret Adamu, commended Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration for prioritising teacher development through strategic partnerships.
Dr. Adamu said the state had recorded notable progress in the education sector, including infrastructure upgrades, teacher professional development and the provision of school grants.
She described the collaboration with the British Council as a deliberate investment in the human capital needed to sustain the ongoing transformation of schools across the state.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB, Dr. Grace Adagba, described the STEP programme as complementary to the vision of Governor Alia in promoting the welfare and continuous professional development of teachers.
Adagba disclosed that about 8,900 teachers had been trained between 2023 and date through various interventions aimed at strengthening teaching and learning in the state.
She listed the interventions to include Stimulating Teacher Resourcefulness in Digital Education (STRIDE), Supporting Pedagogical Rigour in Networked Teaching (SPRINT), Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE), and Jolly Phonics training for teachers and learners, conducted in partnership with Universal Learning Solutions (ULS), among others.
According to her, the training programmes were part of the board’s efforts to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills required to respond to the changing demands of education.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the House of Assembly Standing Committee on Basic Education, Hon. Elias Audu, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Benue State Chapter, Comrade Levi Akura, commended the state government’s efforts to improve teachers’ welfare and professional standing. They acknowledged the challenges teachers had faced over the years and expressed appreciation for the steps being taken to address their concerns.
The STEP training is expected to continue for five days physically, after which participants will undertake a ten-week online learning programme.
