NIWA boss calls for tech-driven teacher training to meet global standards

The Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, has called on stakeholders in Nigeria educational sector to invest more on technological innovations in teachers’ training for Nigeria to compete globally in education.

He also advocated periodic review of Nigeria Colleges of Education Curriculum to accommodate modern Information and Communication Technology teaching innovations to improve the quality of teachers training in Nigeria.

According to him, the present generation, especially those between the ages of 5 to 30 are heavily depending on technology as a lifestyle, and to get best out of them, Nigeria method of teaching must tread the part of technological innovation for national development.

Oyebamiji said this in his opening remark as the Chairman of the National Education Summit organised by the National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education (NANCES) held at Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, with the theme: Bridging the Gap and Ensuring Equitable Access to Education.

The association also conferred on him an Award of Excellence in Nigeria Inland Water Safety and Infrastructural Development.

NIWA boss, who was represented by the Executive Director, Engineering Services, Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, Eng Kayode Sowade, described teaching as a noble profession that is critical for the growth of any nation.

Oyebamiji said, “education is a major tool to exit the circle of poverty and criminality and to improve the quality of our education system in Nigeria, stakeholders, including the federal government and state government and private sector, must recognise the current reality by investing more on technological training to equip our teachers with modern skills in ICT. The lifestyle of our younger generation revolves around technology. Majority are using mobile phones and computers for 8 to 10 hours daily on the average; therefore, if we must get best out of them, we must converge with them at that technological space.”

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the NELFUND initiative which has significantly provided equitable access to education and reduced the tuition fee burden on the parents, saying no youth has any excuse not to have access to higher education in Nigeria with the support of NELFUND.

Speaking earlier, the President of (NANCES), Comrade Egunjobi Samuel, described the NIWA boss as an exceptional leader that is committed to the growth of the younger generation, especially the student community.

He said the association has monitored his political trajectory since he was MD of OSICOL in Osun State and as two terms commissioner, and, just of recent, as the MD/CEO of NIWA, adding that Oyebamiji has distinguished himself as honest, committed and result oriented leader

Egunjobi said the association decided to honour the NIWA chief for his outstanding success in NIWA in less than two years with procurement of safety equipment, massive distribution of life jackets, swift response to emergencies and massive infrastructural development at the NIWA headquarters and other facilities across the country.

The patron of the association and Provost, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Dr Rafiu Adekola said NELFUND is one of the best interventions that have happened to tertiary education in Nigeria, urging the student to maximize the opportunity to access higher education.

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