By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), Mrs. Ozavize Salami, has said the State under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki is currently undertaking holistic upgrade of infrastructure across over 336 schools in the State.
The Edo SUBEB Chairman, who disclosed this at a media parley with journalists in Benin City, said the 181 projects in the 336 schools in the State will see the construction of 200 modern classrooms and water projects.
According to her, the projects are expected to impact over 72,000 children in various schools across the State, with 46 percent in urban areas and 58 per cent in rural areas.
Salami noted, “We are currently intervening in 336 schools and have 181 projects which will be giving 200 classrooms and water projects. 46 percent of the projects are in urban areas and 58 per cent in rural areas and the majority are close to completion level.
“We have been able to design progressive programmes for schools that are in rural areas as the programme is data-driven. The activities of teachers can be easily monitored as 7,000 teachers are currently being trained online and 84.4 per cent are logged on the online class.”
The SUBEB chairperson also noted that 380,000 students from various public schools across the State are currently benefiting from the State’s Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) Programme.
She said the reforms in the State’s basic education sector by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led state government have continued to improve learning outcomes in schools, preparing children in the State for global competitiveness.
According to her, “Over 380,000 children in our schools have benefited from our EdoBEST programme and the Edo State Government has trained 16,000 teachers in digital skills and classroom management. In Edo, basic education is free and compulsory for children as they are equipped with various digital skills.
“The Edo State Government has distributed 12,000 tablets; 7 million exam materials and 1.5 million textbooks across various EdoBEST schools in Edo State as parents have access to their children’s results. The EdoBEST Programme has been able to rebrand all schools, even those schools in the rural and riverine areas.”
Governor Godwin Obaseki’s commitment to restoring education in Edo State back to its former glory and tackling learning poverty led to the launch of the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) Programme in April 2018.
EdoBEST leverages the transformative power of cutting-edge technology to deliver outstanding learning outcomes to primary school children across Edo State by better supporting their teachers.
Hinged on five critical pillars that encapsulate the goals of the reform, EdoBEST has equipped teachers with the tools and skills to execute a unique type of learning experience for children.
The programme has also bridged communication gaps between communities and schools, improved schools’ infrastructure, strengthened the curriculum and improved learning outcomes among Edo State pupils
