Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has revealed plans to restructure the state’s tertiary education scene for the training of teachers with competencies in different knowledge and skill areas, especially basic and technical education.
Mr Obaseki disclosed this on Tuesday when he visited the Abudu College of Education in Orhionmwon Local Government Council, for an on-the-spot inspection of infrastructure at the institution.
“In the plan, the state is to operate the Tayo Akpata University of Education, Ekiadolor, as well as multi-campus College of Education with sites in Igueben, Abudu and Auchi,” he said.
“While the Abudu campus is to serve as Special Training Centre for teachers at the basic education level, the campus at Igueben will focus on training teachers for technical and secondary education.”
The governor said the state government has concluded arrangement to remodel the college in Abudu, noting that the institution would serve as a centre for training and certification of new sets of teachers for the basic level of education.
He explained that this would prepare the teachers to adopt modern teaching methods at such level of education, adding that he was on the visit to review the plans and designs which would give way for the remodelling of the campus.
“This visit will prepare the way for the contractors to be mobilised to site immediately. The rehabilitation work at the college will not affect academic work as the campus is currently not in session,” Obaseki said.
According to him, the government has a funding plan for the college which will serve as training centre for basic school teachers who are instrumental in the state’s government drive to revive public primary education.
Governor Obaseki disclosed further that training has already commenced for some teachers in pilot schools at Benin City, the state capital.
He said the exercise was aimed at preparing the teachers to apply new methods of teaching which the state government has introduced at the basic level of education.
While about 2000 teachers from 300 schools are participating in the pilot phase of the programme, the governor stressed that the state plans to continue with the training of teachers in the long-term plan.
“The training of teachers will be on a permanent basis as we intend to have a system that focuses on special training for teachers at the basic education level,” he said.
