By Amas Peter Maka.
Teachers in the State have been charged to introduce Smart Skills in Primary Schools and Post Primary Schools across the State.
The Director-General of the Teachers Continuous Training Institute Biase, Professor Taoheed Adedoja made the call while addressing Head Teachers and Assistant Head Teachers at a 3-day intensive workshop organized by the Institute.
The workshop which commenced on Tuesday 12th March, 2024 is expected to end on Friday 15th March, 2024 and aimed at training one hundred Head Teachers and Assistant Head Teachers drawn from the three Senatorial Districts of Cross River State.
The Director-General who was represented at the event by the Deputy Director-General, Mrs. Mary Omaji said the purpose of the workshop was to ensure that Managers of primary schools are trained with the basic knowledge of smart Skills in order to enhance teaching and learning in primary schools in the state.
Mrs. Omaji stated that the application of smart skills in primary schools will enhance learners with digital literacy to meet the standard of education in the 21st century.
She also disclosed that the Teachers Continuous Training Institute Biase, which was established by the Cross River State Government is a world class Institute with the state of the art digital facilities and first Nigerian Public Institution with accredited testing centre, adding that the Institute boast of a plethora of science laboratories which include Physics, Biology , Chemistry, Agricultural science and information communication technology laboratories for teachers in order to create a wilpower for updating their knowledge through the use of smart skills in the education sector, adding that, TCTI Biase has the mandate to retrain teachers at all levels and to acchieve that the Institute chose to begin with the Head Teachers since they are the leaders at their various schools.
In a related development, one of the Resource Persons, Professor Martin Olofu, a lecturer in Curriculum and Instruction at the Faculty of Education, University of Calabar who spoke on the topic "The Design, Production and Supply of Creative Training Game Kits for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Primary Schools" said in order to meet up with the standard of education and to achieve smart skills to enhance effective teaching and learning, teachers should introduce educational games as a methodology of teaching.
He noted that learners understand faster when such skills are applied, adding that basic education is the hub for effective teaching and learning.
On his part, Barr. Ndem Bassey, a retired Education Consultant and a Legal Practitioner who delivered his paper on "Communication and Public Speaking Skills, Relationship Building and Feedback Exchange for Learners in Primary Schools" stated that effective communication and public speaking skill variation in classrooms yield a good feedback in the teaching and learning process.
In an interview with the AOPHON Chairman Obanliku Chapter, Mr. Anthony Ada, commended the Management of TCTI Biase for organizing the workshop, describing the Institute as world class.
Also speaking, one of the participants from the Central Senatorial District, Mrs. Rose Bakin appreciated the Government of Cross River State for establishing this wonderful Institute to meet the demands of retraining teachers in the state and beyond. Mr. Joshua Eyor, a participant from the Southern Senatorial District described the workshop as a welcome development and advised fellow teachers to develop themselves digitally to enable them improve on the use of the smart skills.
