THE Kogi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in conjunction with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Universal Learning Solutions (ULS) has commenced the training of more than 1,250 teachers in the use of Jolly Phonics programme for teaching reading and writing in schools across the state.
The one-week training programme was organised for Kogi State public primary school teachers on Jolly Phonics under the Teachers Professional Development Programme of UBEC.
The initiative would ensure that teachers in public primary schools in Kogi State are delivering literacy teaching using global best practices for sustainable teaching and learning.
Jolly Phonics is a systematic synthetic phonics method of teaching that combines stories, the sounds of the alphabets, actions, music, and songs, in teaching to make learning more interactive, comprehensible, and enjoyable.
While flagging off the six-day training that commenced on Monday, May 19, will end on Saturday, May 24, the chairman of KogiSUBEB, Mallam Abdulrasaq Yusuf, said the annual training, which started about a decade ago, had equipped teachers to enhance the writing and reading skills of pupils across Kogi State and beyond.
Represented by KogiSUBEB’s director, Teacher Professional Development (TPD), Mrs Victoria Iyabo Daniel, the chairman commended UBEC and KogiSUBEB for introducing Jolly Phonics into the curriculum of pupils in public primary schools in the state.
According to him, the programme has helped children to read, write, and communicate fluently since its introduction by Kogi SUBEB into the curriculum of teaching at the basic level in the state.
He added that it had contributed immensely to improving the writing and reading skills of teachers as well as their pupils through a logical sequence, helping pupils and students build on prior knowledge and grasp new concepts easily.
Yusuf noted that in addition to its interactive nature, Jolly Phonics is equally engaging and enjoyable because it is multi-sensory, incorporating actions, songs, and stories, making learning enjoyable and memorable for the learners.
He added that “the principles used in Jolly Phonics enhances and boosts teachers’ confidence in teaching, enabling them to deliver effectively on their mandate as teachers.”
To make the Jolly Phonics programme more impactful, the chairman of the KogiSUBEB underscored the need to integrate more technology into the programme to enhance the teaching pedagogies, the need for continuous assessment, learners’ tracking, and feedback, and parental involvement in teaching modules, etc.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the Universal Learning Solutions (ULS), UK, Gary Foxcroft, highlighted that the effectiveness of the Jolly Phonics programme, noting its fun and interactive approach, rooted in the systematic synthetic phonics methodology, has endeared it to many teachers and learners across the world.
Represented by the ULS Country Director, Patrick Uzu, the ULS boss described Jolly Phonics as a globally recognised brand, saying it is the best for equipping children with essential reading and writing skills because of its children-centered approaches and quick impact on reading skills.
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According to him, the positive impacts of the Jolly Phonics programme in Kogi State can be seen through the improved literacy levels within public primary schools over the few years that it was introduced in the state.
He believes the project offers a wonderful chance for all children in Kogi State to learn to read and write, thereby fostering greater equity and equal opportunities.
Mr Gary also acknowledged the continuous support of UBEC for the use of the Jolly Phonics programme in public primary schools, which has made it a household brand in the education sector in Nigeria, adding that this support has enabled Jolly Phonics to be implemented in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
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