By Jeremiah Archibong
Akamkpa: 200 Mathematics and Science teachers in Cross River State are currently been retrained by the State Universal Basic Education Board (CR-SUBEB) as part of efforts to improve teaching and learning capacity for both teacher and students says the Chairman Dr. Stephen Odey.
The training according to Odey aims at improving the level of education in Cross River State and not witch hunt as is been alleged in some quarters.
‘We have decided to come and see what you are doing personally because we attach so much to training programs, a teacher that has not been trained for so long is like an old knife you have left by the side of your garden, those who don’t understand might think we are witch hunting people, a situation where you have a teacher that cannot read and write that cannot put up good lesson note there’s something wrong” Odey told the teachers when he visited their training site at the College of Education Akamkpa. “When I embarked on the screening those who feel that we should not move forward in Cross River State were the people crying” he added.
Reacting to accusations by that he asked a teacher to sit on the floor to write, Odey said that; “Why will you say the Executive Chairman has gone to a place and asked a teacher to sit on the floor to write, am I a mad person? They were whipping that sentiment to get support from the public because I felt that to enable us have effective teaching and learning such a teacher must be very sound.
“To enable us deliver on our mandate it is good for us to know the caliber of teacher we have, that is why we embarked on rigorous training”.
Furthermore, he warned the teachers that; “Those of you that have pass through that process you will know we were out for the best. We have records of those who claim they went to a particular school and yet they are still carrying fake certificate and statement of result. From now hence forth we should have refined teachers that can stand the test of time that can compete. Apart from the UBEC and SUBEB training very soon I’m going to put up trainings programs that will groom you in all aspect not limiting you to only lesson notes and thesis”.
The board’s Director of Administration, Emmanuel Ojong told CrossRiverWatch that; “The program is meant to sharpen the skills of Math’s and Science teachers to ensure that they deliver on the pupils in the manner that all the pupils will be very much informed. It is sustainable, we do it in consonance with UBEC and it is a yearly program to ensure that all the teachers are kept in good forms”.
“There are two hundred teachers from all the local government areas here for the training and is meant for strengthening science and Math’s education, thus sharpening their brains and preparing them with new methods that have come up. As a teacher I have been going for monitoring across the State there are some peculiar problems associated with teachers some teachers not being able to read and write are some of the problems I have come across and we are trying to address them by workshops” added Margaret Mgbeje, the Training and Academic services director..
Participants who spoke to CrossRiverWatch expressed gratitude to the board for the training and prayed for its sustainability, asserting that it will go a long way in making teachers proud of their profession.
The training which began on August 8, 2016 ended today.