UBEC boss calls for innovative, creative approaches to teaching, learning

THE executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi, has called on stakeholders to embrace innovative and creative approaches to teaching and learning at the basic level of education in Nigeria.

According to him, learners are constantly changing and since learning is an ongoing process, instructional practices must be refined and questioned over the course of time, in order to get the desired quality learning outcome in primary and secondary schools in the country.

Bobboyi made the call at a meeting of the UBEC management with the  chairmen of States Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), where he also lamented the challenge of poor learning outcomes in the country.

He noted that the world is continuously evolving and, as such, it is an ethical obligation for stakeholders in the education sector to redefine, revisit and rethink the national and state priorities for effective basic education delivery.

He urged stakeholders, especially state governments, to consistently demonstrate the consciousness that teachers and learners are important inputs in any educational endeavour and priorities must be given to them if the goals and objectives of the system must be achieved.

The executive secretary insisted that Nigeria must invest in digital technology-aided education, saying this remains the sure path towards producing globally competitive citizens.

He appealed to the state governments to replicate the UBEC smart schools built across the states of the Federation.

“A phased equipping of existing schools with IT infrastructure and training of teachers should be adopted as a strategy for transforming the existing schools to smart schools,” he said.

According to him, the commission will continue to support the states and FCT in this endeavour, especially in the areas of e-content development and training, noting that “the Digital Resource Centre and the Zonal Model Smart Schools were set up for these purposes.”

“I implore States and FCT to take advantage of the opportunities these facilities will offer,” Bobboyi stated.

He added: “As we collaborate to develop a clear vision and focus on our purpose of redefining national and state priorities for effective basic education delivery, the journey leads to flexible paths of promise which embrace innovative and creative approaches to instruction.”

He also charged stakeholders to always remember that one of the main objectives of Basic Education is to inculcate foundation for permanent literacy, numeracy, life skills, and ability to communicate effectively.

While thanking the International Development Partners for their support, the UBEC boss noted the meeting which had brought together stakeholders from across the country was to deliberate on issues affecting the sub- sector and the way forward.

He stressed that there were emerging trends that demand new approaches in tackling them; “these therefore call for new strategies,” he added.

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