MDGs: FG begins training of 28,000 head teachers

Posted by admin Headlines Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

THE Federal Government has commenced the training of about 28,000 head teachers of primary schools across the country, as part of the effort toward the actualisation of the Millennium Development Goals and Education For All (EFA) by 2015.

The Federal Government also lamented over what it described as “total decay of infrastructure and erosion of standard in public school system” arising from long period of neglect.

Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, spoke in Abuja, on Monday, while declaring open the 3-week training programme organised by the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIAPA), Ondo, and Office of the Special Assistant to the President on MDGs.

Represented by the Director, Policy, Planning, Management and Research, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Lawal Karimatu, the minister said the objective of the training programme was aimed at building the capacity of head teachers of schools on effective school management.

She regretted that rapid expansion of public primary schools in order to meet the global targets of EFA, MDGs, among others, had not been accompanied by corresponding improvement in the service delivery, particularly in the area of teacher effectiveness and management capacity.

Professor Rufa’i said there was “a clear indication that most head teachers of public primary schools do not have the prerequisite skills in leadership, monitoring and evaluation of learning achievement and effective records management, as well as lack of skills in the functions of schools heads before being appointed.”

She further noted that in spite of the fact that primary education remained the foundation and building block for quality education in the country, most of the head teachers did not have the opportunity of undergoing in-service course to enhance their capacity in service delivery.

The Director-General and Chief Executive of NIAPA, Dr Peter Kolawole Ojedele, said the purpose of the training was to build the capacity of head teachers of primary schools in Nigeria on effective school management.

-Tribunewp_posts