The Edo State Universal Basic Education Board says the state government plans to boost Technical and Vocational Education and Training with the recruitment of 3,000 teachers under the Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Result teacher recruitment programme.

The Chairperson, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Joan Oviawe, said the board had received orders from Governor Godwin Obaseki, to educate students on the requisite skills.

She said, “As you are aware, basic education extends to junior secondary school. We are trying to put in place the necessary tools that will make us roll this out. In line with that, we have the Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Result recruitment programme.

“We had over 38,000 applicants. Out of this, 11,000 were shortlisted for a computer-based test. From those that took the test, we will do a further review so that we can select the best 3,000 graduate teachers that will be hired amongst them. By the end of May, we ought to have shortlisted the new teachers.”

Speaking on the curriculum to drive the teaching of technical and vocational education, Oviawe noted that work has already commenced on the curriculum for junior secondary school.

She said the governor has the Board marching orders to educate students and have them acquire the requisite skills.

Skills acquisition is now a strong component of thr basic 7, 8 and 9 education system in Edo State.

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) has completed the final phase of training for 2,000 newly recruited primary school teachers on integration of technological devices for instructional classroom delivery under the EKOEXCEL initiative of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

According to LASUBEB, the training would not only empower and develop the newly recruited teachers and participating head teachers but also bring them up to speed with how knowledge is being impacted across other parts of the world by including technology in the basic education system.

The 2,000 teachers represent the final batch of teachers, who completed their training in a session phased in 3 batches.

All participating teachers promised to implement all they have learnt in the classrooms, noting the training will not only boost their confidence in the classrooms but also ensure their pupils are gainfully engaged in school.

The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has announced the cancellagion of annual examination of class 11 due to an unprecedented situation across the country. All students of class 11 will be promoted to class 12 without exams.

However, Higher Secondary Examination (class 12) 2021 will be held in line with the schedule and in their home centres from 12 noon to 3:15 pm instead of 10 am to 1:15 pm.

The council released a circular stating that the decision has been taken in view of the pandemic.

Official statement by the council stated that as a result of the health crisis in the country and other reasons, the council has decided to cancel the annual examination of class 11.

The head of the Institution has accepted a requested to promote all candidates of Class 11 to Class 12 while topics of the reduced syllabus of Class 12 which are related to the Higher Secondary Examination to be completed within the first quarter of Class 12.

Experts in the United Kjngdom have called for pupils to receive compassion training under plans aimed at making up for education lost due to the Covid fiasco.

A leading group of academics and psychologists will write to the education recovery commissioner urging him to make sure young people and their teachers are “provided with the mental tools to overcome stress and trauma.

The letter, seen UK media, urged Sir Kevan Collins to include “compassion-based training and coaching” for students and staff in both primary and secondary schools in his catch-up plans. 

The group which includes education experts and clinical psychologists, said pupils have experienced “enormous stress, pressure, and disruption” due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which kept most children at home during two national lockdowns and changed the way examination results are graded.

They cited data showing a greater proportion of five to 16-year-olds were identified with mental health problems last July compared to in 2017, as well as a poll suggesting 52 per cent of teachers felt their mental health declined due to Covid.

The letter – signed by around 40 experts – said there were “innumerable mental challenges to be navigated” over bringing pupils and teachers back to a school environment and to make sure their education “will not suffer because of Covid”.

The education recovery commissioner is currently looking at ways to help children “catch-up” after the disruption of the past year.

Some members of Parliament in Kenya have questioned the creation of a new department to spearhead curriculum reforms under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) terming it unnecessary.

In a heated debate in the House, a section of the MPs opposed the appointment of Prof Fatuma Chege as the new Principal Secretary for state department for the implementation of curriculum reforms in the Ministry of Education.

This is despite the House committee on education and research chaired by Busia Women Rep Florence Mutua tabling a report in parliament and recommenfing her appointment.

The report reads in part “The committee recommends that this house approves the nomination of Prof Fatuma Chege, PhD, for the appointment of the position of Principal Secretary for state department for the implementation of curriculum reforms in the Ministry of Education,”.

Uriri MP Mark Nyamita opposed the appointment saying that the Ministry of Education already has the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) which is a fully-fledged institution and deals with curriculum reforms.

The current Education Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr Sarah Ruto was also a former chair at the KICD before her appointment.

Nyamita said the President should instead consider reorganizing the Ministry of Education instead of creating a new department.

Suba East MP Junet Mohamed also questioned the appointment stating that there was no need for an additional state department to do a specific duty which can be done by the existing state department.

However, some MPs supported her appointment but faulted the implementation of the new curriculum in the country.

Majority leader Amos Kimunya moved a motion to postpone the debate saying the House needs to interrogate the issues further. National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi adjoined the debate to resume at a later date.

President Uhuru Kenyatta created the new department and appointed Prof Chege to spearhead the implementation of the new curriculum in the country.

Currently the implementation of the curriculum is at Grade Four. Grade Five is set to be rolled out in July when third term is set to start.

Before her appointment Prof Chege, chaired the CBC taskforce committee and was the deputy vice chancellor in charge of administration at the Kenyatta University.

The University of Lagos has announced June 30 to July 9 as days set aside for activities lined up for its 51st Convocation ceremony (2019).

According to a statement issued by the principal assistant registrar , Corporate Affairs of the institution, Nonye Oguama, a pre-convocation news conference that will herald activities lined up for the ceremony has been slated for June 30.

According to the statement, there would be a rehearsal for hooding ceremonies on July 1 at the School of Post Graduate Studies, various faculties and the Distance Learning Institute (DLI).

The statement added that Friday, July 2, has been set aside for the convocation ceremonies, special Jumat Service, while a Thanksgiving Service would hold on July 4.

According to the statement, there will be an Opening of Exhibition and Commissioning of projects, that will be preceeded by a convocation lecture on Monday July 5.

On Tuesday July 6, there will be a congregation for the award of first degree, diploma certificates and prizes to graduating students of the Faculties of Education, Social Sciences, Arts, Environmental Sciences and Sciences.

The congregation for the award of first degrees, diploma, certificates and prizes to graduating students of the Faculties of Law, Engineering, Management Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences Dental Science, Pharmacy and DLI will come up on Wednesday, July 7.

The statement added that the ceremony for Post Graduate Degrees and Masters will also hold on the same day.

It revealed that the recognition and service award ceremony would hold on Friday, July 9.

In a related development, the statement said the university had set aside May 10 for resumption for the second semester of the 2020/2021 academic year and it would be fully physical.

The statement, however, noted that in cases where there would be large classes, it would go virtual. It noted that registration of courses would commence on Friday, April 30 to June 20.

Meanwhile, the Senate of the institution has appointed Obinna Chukwu as its new Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services.

Chukwu, a professor of marine sciences and one time Dean of School of Postgraduate Studies , is the current Director, Academic Planning, (Office of the Vice Chancellor) and the immediate past Director, Director Quality Assurance and SERVICOM Unit.

Also, a professor of political science and the immediate past Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Solomon Akingboye, has been elected as Senate representative in the institution’s Governing Council.