By Eghosa Emily
The Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Oviawe has reiterated Governor Godwin Obaseki’s vision to ensure that neither the socio-economic status of the family nor the child’s neighbourhood can hinder every child in Edo State from access to quality education.
Dr Oviawe made this assertion at the SEPLAT JV Education Round Table and Step Award Ceremony with the theme ‘Transforming the education workforce’ held at Homeville Hotel, during the week in Benin City.
According to Dr Oviawe, ‘Transforming the Education workforce’ which is the theme of the programme requires a certain method of teaching suitable for the 21st century and beyond.
Dr Oviawe added that it is no longer in vogue to have a method of teaching where the teacher is the only bank of knowledge as Edo State has adopted the learner centered pedagogy method of teaching.
She also thanked the SEPLAT team for supporting the government by training science teachers and building a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Laboratory at Ihogbe College, Benin.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Edo State Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), Mrs Birgitta Okodugha who was one of the discussants at the round table session, harped on the topic the role of technology in teaching and cited the great transformation Edo State is currently undergoing in the aspect of technology.
Mrs Okodugha enthusiastically explained that Edo State has achieved 80 percent of its goal of incorporating technology in all levels of the Education Sector.
The Permanent Secretary credited the tremendous improvements in the Education Sector since the inception of Governor Obaseki’s administration to the timely incorporation of technology.
Mrs Okodugha further stressed on the need for teachers in the State to take full advantage of the opportunities that have been provided by SEPLAT and the series of trainings made available by the State Government to improve and strengthen their knowledge and skills.
One of the participants of the STEAM programme, Mr Ayanwu Solomon was ecstatic as he how he earned a scholarship for a masters programme abroad due to the knowledge he acquired during the STEAM programme.
Amongst the dignitaries present at the event were the Commissioner, Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Bartholomew Brai; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs Yuwa Naps; Functioning Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Oni Ekhosuehi and other top government functionaries in Edo and Delta States.
