By Bodunde Tenabe, Ondo
“Education is also central to the SDGs Fund programmes to promote gender equality, improve nutrition and create livelihoods opportunities”.
These were the very words of the programme coordinator, Federal Ministry of Education/Sustainable Development Goals Fund, Hajia Liman Khadija at the kick off ceremony of the FME/SDGs/NIEPA National Training programme organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs in conjunction with National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, Ondo which held from Monday November 18th to Friday November 22nd, 2019.
The training programme saw Headteachers and Caregivers of public primary schools from selected states across the country converge at NIEPA Ondo for five days to have their capacities developed in Whole School Management and Early Child Care Development Education. resulting in better outcomes for school children.
Doubling also as the representative of the Director, Education, Planning, Research and Development in the federal ministry of education, Hajia Liman went down memory lane espousing NIEPA’s roles and efforts in propagating and implementing programmes leading to the achievement of SDG goal 4 target which the federal ministry of education is particular about.
According to her, Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This goal ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and secondary schooling by 2030. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, to eliminate gender and wealth disparities and achieve universal access to a quality higher education.
The Deputy Director charged the invited headteachers and caregivers to see themselves as change agents in line with the agenda of federal government and be ready to go back to train others after the workshop. The joy of every teacher according to Hajia Liman is to see your product become useful and beneficial to the community and nation at large.
Representing the Director-General and Chief Executive of NIEPA, Dr. Mrs. Toun Akinsolu reiterated that the goal of the SDGs is to ensure that no one is left behind. She assured the participants that NIEPA’s seasoned resource persons will be availing them with the necessary information that will be needed for maximum benefits.
Head of NIEPA’s Training department, Dr. Sunday Adegbesan reiterating the Director-General’s address, identified areas which the capacity building training workshop would benefit them to include; Early Childhood Development Centres Management in Nigeria, ECD Curriculum with Needs and Characteristics of Young Children, Qualities of the ECD Caregivers/Primary School Teachers and Use of Training Guide, Early Childhood Pedagogy and Assessment, Play in ECCDE, Inclusive Education for Children with Special/Additional Needs, Improvisation of Toys and a whole lot more.
Speaking on behalf of all the participants at the end of the 5-day training, Mr. Agim Justin Inde, a headteacher from St. Stephen Primary School, Obudu, Cross River State could not hide his joy and satisfaction at the enormous advantage the week long training has placed him. He appreciated the entire management of NIEPA, its facilities, resource persons and meals provided. Mr. Agim also promised to cascade all he has learnt to other colleagues and staff on his return home.
The capacity building training workshop organized for primary school headteachers and caregivers of public primary schools was organized to enhance their skills and capability in discharging their responsibilities. This has been achieved through the various collaborative efforts of the Federal Ministry of Education, Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President (OSSAP) on SDGs, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), State Ministries of Education (SMoEs) and other critical education stakeholders across the country.
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