South East breaking News
The Imo state government under the leadership of his Excellency , Governor Hope Uzodinma has disclosed its plan to turn around the education fortunes of Imo Children through the introduction of Jolly phonics in primary schools in the state.
This was made known by the executive Chairman of Imo state Universal Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB ) during capacity building of Imo state primary school teachers on jolly Phonics ,held at City Primary school Owerri .
The Executive chairman who was represented by the Director teachers development Imo State universal Basic Education ,Mrs Anoruo Chinyere, said the policies of Imo state government is geared towards positively impacting on the pupils and students of Imo state.
She said Imo state government is training the teachers in the low classes so as to implement the jolly Phonics initiative in the primary schools in the state and is ready to help to ensure that these teachers transfer what they learned to the children, even as she urged the teachers to take the training seriously and that the children to pay attention so as to learn.
Addressing Newsmen during the training, the Monitoring officer and representative of Universal Basic Education Commission ,Abuja ,Mr Bidon Mibzar who said he was in Imo state to monitor the training in the three senatorial zones where the training is holding ,Okigwe ,Orlu and Owerri zones to see how effective the programme is .
According to him , ” so far ,we are just coming from the other two zones ,Okigwe and Orlu , yesterday the sit -at home order by Ipob negatively affected the training but today ,there is progress.
” We are trying to achieve the objectives of the training, the organizers and the facilitators are doing their best.
UBEC decided to train Nigeria children on jolly Phonics , because the world is now changing ,there is nothing like mother tongue in the use of words , we are trying to impact the basic tenets of literature on the Nigerian child to ensure that they get the real way of spelling and pronounciation of words so that they can meet the global standard “
Earlier , while interacting with Newsmen, the Project Manager in charge of SouthEast states and Manager Imo state for the universal Learning Solution initiative, chief Engr. Innocent Nwosu described his group as an NGO that interferes in training teachers on jolly Phonics strategy which enables children to read and write very fast and prepares them adequately for further academic pursuit.
He pointed out that they are in Imo state to train teachers in Imo on jolly Phonics which he said is not only a national program ,but a world brand.
Speaking on some of the challenges they are experiencing, he disclosed that some teachers after obtaining the training ,do not apply it ,the way they are ask to do it ,some are lazy too , because of them,we have a team of monitors and officers who are trained to monitor them , and we have those who will be going round the schools .We also have alot of resources and books,we have given them to help train the pupils.
In similar vein ,some government officials do not monitor them after training them and there are situations where these teachers are transfered to another school after training thereby affecting the school in question.
According to him , ” If not money ,all the head Teachers should be trained,every teacher should be trained in these , because the training will help both early learners and the adults.
” We have packages for different people and we are getting a very good cooperation from Imo state, UBEC sponsors this , while the state government partners by provision of venues and the enabling environment for the training to take place”
He further stated that , ” Nigeria children are now doing better,teachers are now more effective in their teaching, I think the future is very bright . It is going to really turn around the education fortunes of this nation with this new method.
” It is going to revolutionize reading and writing in this country among the Children “
In his speech,the trainer of the officials from different schools ,who is also a lecturer in university of Uyo, Dr Stella Nwosu , said ,” We are here in Imo to train the teachers on the use of jolly phonics.I am training the officials . These officials are supposed to be mentors .They will be the ones going to different local government Areas to monitor these teachers.
” We train the officials in order to sustain this project.These teachers must be mentored and monitored ,if not when they go back ,they will not implement the project. So we must train the officials to mentor them “
” Jolly phonics is a fast track literacy method,using the letter sounds to learn how to read and write as it has been proven and tested to be the fasted way of teaching Children literacy”
She noted that , ” we have been going all over the country training teachers on the method and we have evidence that if a child uses this method he has advantage of learning how to read and write fast.He has two years advantage”
She advised the officials that when they get to the field ,they should mentor and guide the teachers,not to witch hunt them and they should take everything seriously.
In her speech, another trainer , Professor Mrs Ibiere Ken Maduako , said it is important that the teachers are properly trained so that they will go and teach the children well.
According to her , ” One of the problems Children have is they are not able to even read after graduating from school, because the methodology they used in teaching them were inadequate.It was not introducing the Children to the skills ,the rudiments of the words.But with them learning these sounds ,they can read with the help of the sounds.If the Children are taught the rudiments of reading,it helps them to acquire the reading skills,learn how to identify the sounds” she said.
In their various speeches some of the participants expressed delight over the opportunity to participate in the training , describing it as a wonderful opportunity.
In the same vein some of the facilitators who spoke with the Newsmen commended the learning ability of the Imo state teachers, while urging them to ensure they transfer what they have learnt to their pupils in schools
Some of the trainers include , Dr Stella Nwosu, professor Ibiere N Ken Maduako, Juliet Udeze, Priscilla Chiajula Ukoh, Oluchi Abasirim, Ezinne Okoroafor, Eziocha Rose ,Ekaette Gideo Obot , Patricia Osuji , Augustina UCHECHI ,Dr Maria Etokebe, Mefor Joy ,Okpara Perpetua ,Inimesit Pedro ,Mary Ekanem among others
The participants were very excited and wish the programme to be organized again .
For Odunze confidence from Ohaji Egbema primary school, ” our facilitator is doing well,we have learnt the 42 letter words and sounds ,word blending , formation etc , I will go to my school and teach them .
Another participant said she can not wait to take the message home
However , many of them expressed appreciation to ,UBEC , IMSUBEB and Universal Learning Solution for the training.
Some of the participants include , Odunze confidence, Christian Nwoke , Njoku christian Ogechi ,Imo Chioma , Onyekwere Ogechi ,Ginikanwa Maritha ,Nwaru Sylverline ,Aguocha Onyinyechi,Amadi Festus ,Onwana Ijeoma ,Nwagwu Ihedi among others
In her speech ,the Headmistress of Imo city Primary school Mrs Njoku Elizabeth,who spoke with our reporter, expressed happiness .She said 3 teachers from her school are involved in the training, expressing optimism that they will come and train others teachers and the pupils from her school.
She however thanked the organizers and government for such training , requesting that the training be a continuous thing
