The Teachers Continuous Training Institute (TCTI) Biase, Cross River State, is poised to strengthen basic and foundational literacy education in the State. To achieve this, the Institute has undertaken a 2-day training program for one hundred and fifty primary school teachers in select schools in the state, to develop their digital literacy skills.
The 2-day training program themed: “The Application of Smart Skills To Teaching and Learning in Primary Schools”, was held between July 18 and 19, 2024 at the TCTI. This intensive training seeks to equip primary school teachers with the knowledge and skills to effectively utilize smart application technology in their academic pursuits.
Declaring the workshop open on Thursday, Director-General of the TCTI, Professor Taoheed Adedoja highlighted the impacts of the exercise to manpower development and nation building, noting that “Cross River State cannot afford to keep teachers of analogue skills at this period of digital platforms for all sectors of development, particularly the education sector”.
According to the DG, the smart application workshop is to prepare teachers at the elementary level for the task ahead with the practical knowledge that will enable participants learn how to harness the power of digital infrastructure to enhance their teaching experience, improve their smart literacy usage and develop essential skills for the classroom task.
“The training also aims to spotlight the significance of leveraging digital infrastructure in improving teaching and learning in primary schools across both rural and urban areas of Cross River State, ultimately bridging the educational divide and enhancing the quality of education”, he opined.
Addressing participants, the Cross River State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), represented by the State Secretary, Comrade Victor Amireze, expressed his satisfaction that: “We are most pleased that TCTI is strategically constructed to provide the needed continuous professional development for teachers, not only in Cross River State, but for the benefit of teachers in Nigeria. The management of TCTI is most commended for carrying the union along in its training programs.”
In his goodwill message, Dr. Adekunle Adekola, a Senior Education Specialist at the Abuja office of the World Bank, stressed the significance of digital literacy for teachers, both present and future. He praised the initiative of TCTI for organizing the workshop, which aims to equip educators with essential digital skills.
In a related development, Mrs. Jane Walter Obeten, a teacher at Government Primary School State Housing Estate Calabar, said, “My experience here has been wonderful since I arrived. The topics are well-chosen, and the facilitators are highly knowledgeable. This workshop has opened our eyes to the potential of digital tools in enhancing classroom learning as teachers. I feel privileged to be part of this training, as not all my colleagues were selected.”
Mr. Ekashi Jack-Konor, a teacher at Government Primary School Bateriko, Boki, also spoke, saying: “This experience will remain in my memory. The facilities are top-notch, the computers and the interactive whiteboards are 21st-century learning tools. They represent the perfect blend of AI and internet-based skills that are essential for smart learning in this era.”
Mr. Achi Henry Achi, a teacher at Government Primary School, Obudu, was one of several educators who confirmed that the training facilitators were chosen from a range of national institutions, renowned for their expertise in the specific areas being covered. The teachers took turns, praising the Cross River State governor, Prince Bassey Otu and the Institute’s management for organizing the event, commending their efforts and leadership.
This workshop follows a similar event held earlier in March, which targeted primary school Headteachers in the state and builds upon the progress made during that initial gathering.
This training exercise for 150 primary school educators, sets another stage for a series of comprehensive and effective learning opportunities that will have a lasting impact on education in the state and nationwide.
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