Zulum Launched Training for 1,949 Teachers to Elevate Education Standards
By Ibrahim Umar,
Kanempress News,
7th,May,2024
In a significant move to bolster education in Borno State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has launched the inaugural phase of an extensive training program for 1,949 teachers deemed capable after a comprehensive competency evaluation.
The kickoff event took place at the Waka Biu College of Education within Biu Local Government Area. The competency assessment, which saw 15,823 participants, resulted in only 5,257 teachers meeting the pass criteria. An additional 6,227 teachers, despite falling short of the pass mark, were identified as trainable, while 4,339 were deemed untrainable.
Governor Zulum detailed that the first phase would benefit approximately 1,949 individuals, with plans to extend the program to a total of 2,730 teachers. “On March 19th, 2024, we sanctioned a one billion Naira (N1 billion) fund for the professional development of 2,730 educators.
They will partake in a three-month sandwich training at both the College of Education Waka-Biu and the Umar Ibn Ibrahim Elkanemi College of Education, Science and Technology in Bama, catering to 1,884 teachers,” Zulum elaborated.
Furthermore, the governor announced that 846 teachers lacking tertiary education would be enrolled in a full-time National Certificate in Education (NCE) program. He emphasized the state’s commitment to enhancing educational standards, noting that each trainee would receive a monthly stipend of N30,000 on top of their existing salaries, all at no cost to them.
In a decisive directive, Governor Zulum mandated that the 846 participants in the full-time NCE program be granted automatic in-service status.
Distinguished attendees at the ceremony included Senator Mohamed Ali Ndume, representing Southern Borno; the Emir of Biu, Maidala Mustapha Umar Aliyu II; members of the Borno State House of Assembly; and the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, among other high-ranking officials.
In related news, the Borno State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has lauded Governor Zulum’s transformative actions in the educational realm. State NUT Chairman, Comrade Zali Audu Garba, expressed his firm belief in the ongoing positive metamorphosis of the sector, highlighting both human and infrastructural advancements.
